The  Interchurch  Council 
on  Organic  Union 


REPORTS  AND  PLANS 


FOR 

The  Interchurch  Council 
on  Or  ^anic  Union 


FEBRUARY  3-6,  1920 
WITHERSPOON  HALL 
PHILADELPHIA,  PA. 


1920 

Witherspoon  Building,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


OFFICERS 

OF  THE  AD  INTERIM  COMMITTEE 


Rev.  Wm.  H.  Roberts,  D.D..  Chairman. 

Rt.  Rev.  EthElbert  T.\lbot,  D.D.,  Vice-Chairman. 

Rev.  Rufus  W.  Miller,  D.D.,  Secretary. 

Rev.  David  G.  Downey,  D.D.,  Historian. 

Mr.  Edward  H.  Bonsall,  Treasurer,  Land  Title  and  Trn.st  Co., 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 


Sub-Committees:  Chairmen 

Plan : — 

Rt.  Rev.  Ethelbert  Talbot,  D.D. 

Invitations  ; — 

Rev.  Harlan  G.  Mendenhall,  D.D. 

Publicity 

Rev.  Peter  Ainslik,  D.D. 

Survey  : — 

Rev.  Willtston  Walker,  D.D. 

Finance  : — 

Mr.  Edward  H.  Bonsall. 


THE  AD  INTERIM  COMMITTEE 


The  Congregational  Churches 

Prof.  Williston  Walker,  Ph.D.,  281  Edwards  St.,  New  Haven,  Conn. 
Rev.  Raymond  Calkins,  D.D.,  19  Berkeley  St.,  Cambridge,  Mass. 

Rev.  Hubert  C.  Herring,  D.D.,  14  Beacon  St.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Disciples,  Church  of  the 

Rev.  Peter  Ainslie,  D.D.,  Seminary  House,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Rev.  F.  W.  Burnham,  LL.D.,  Carew  Building,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Rev.  F.  D.  Kershner,  D.D.,  Stand.  Pub.  Co.,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Rev.  H.  C.  Armstrong,  Seminary  House,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Rev.  Finis  Idleman,  461  Ft.  Washington  Ave.,  N.  Y.  City. 
Evangelical  Synod  of  North  America 

Rev.  J.  U.  Schneider,  116  Lower  6th  St.,  Evansville,  Ind. 

Rev.  F.  E.  C.  Haas,  Amsterdam,  N.  Y. 

Rev.  Paul  A.  Menzel,  1920  G St.,  N.  W.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Friends,  The  Society  of 

Mr.  Alfred  C.  Garrett,  York  Road  and  Duncannon  Ave.,  Logan,  Phila. 
Moravian  Church 

Rev.  John  S.  Romig,  D.D.,  1411  N.  17th  St.,  Phila.,  Pa. 

Presbyterian  Church,  U.  S.  A. 

Rev.  Wm.  H.  Roberts,  D.D.,  513  Witherspoon  Bldg.,  Phila.,  Pa. 

Rev.  Wm.  H.  Black,  D.D.,  Marshall,  Mo. 

Rev.  Charles  R.  Erdman,  D.D.,  Princeton,  N.  J. 

Henry  W.  Jessup,  Esq.,  55  Liberty  St.,  New  York,  N.  Y. 

Rev.  H.  G.  Mendenhall,  D.  D.,  311  W.  75th  St.,  N.  Y.  City. 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church 

Rt.  Rev.  Ethelbert  Talbot,  D.D.,  S.  Bethlehem,  Pa. 

Rev.  Floyd  W.  Tompkins,  D.D.,  1904  Walnut  St.,  Phila.,  Pa. 

Geo.  Wharton  Pepper,  Esq.,  Land  Title  Bldg.,  Phila.,  Pa. 

Reformed  Church  in  U.  S. 

Rev.  Geo.  W.  Richards,  D.D.,  Lancaster,  Pa. 

Rev.  Rufus  W.  Miller,  D.D.,  15th  and  Race  Sts.,  Phila.,  Pa. 

Reformed  Episcopal  Church 

Rev.  Robert  Westly  Peach,  D.D.,  271  Parker  St.,  Newark,  N.  J. 

Home  Mission  Council 

Rev.  A.  Williams  Anthony,  156  5th  Ave.,  N.  Y.  City. 

Associate  Reformed  Presbyterian  Synod 

Rev.  G.  R.  White,  D.D.,  Charlotte,  N.  C.  R.  D.  2. 

United  Brethren  Church 

Rev.  Bishop  G.  M.  Mathews,  D.D.,  Dayton,  Ohio. 

Rev.  Bishop  H.  H.  Fout,  Indianapolis,  Indiana. 

3 


United  Presbyterian  Church 

Rev.  W.  M.  Anderson,  D.D.,  1514  Master  St.,  Phila.,  Pa. 

Welsh  Presbyterian  Church 

Rev.  R.  R.  Davies,  D.D.,  74  S.  Meade  St.,  Wilkes-Barre,  Pa. 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church 

Bishop  John  W.  Hamilton,  LL.D.,  Stonleigh  Court,  Conn.  Ave  & L St., 

Washington,  D.  C. 

Bishop  Luther  B.  Wilson,  LL.D.,  ISO  Sth  Ave.,  N.  Y. 

Rev.  David  G.  Downey,  D.D.,  150  Sth  Ave.,  N.  Y. 

Rev.  Geo.  P.  Eckman,  D.D.,  Scranton,  Pa. 

Rev.  Robt.  Bagnell,  D.D.,  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

Henry  K.  Carroll,  LL.D.,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 

Rev.  Frank  P.  Parkin,  D.D.,  701  Walnut  St.,  Phila.,  Pa. 

General  Council  of  the  Christian  Church 
Rev.  A.  C.  Thomas,  Milo,  Iowa. 

Lutheran  Church 

Rev.  J.  Henry  Harms,  D.D.,  1010  S.  45th  St.,  Phila.,  Pa.  * 

Rev.  Edwin  Heyl  Delk,  D.D.,  630  N.  Broad  St.,  Phila.,  Pa. 

Armenian  Evangelical  Church 

Rev.  H.  Y.  Yardumian,  Perry  Bldg.,  16th  and  Chestnut  Sts.,  Phila.,  Pa. 
Christian  Church 

Rev.  R.  E.  Williams,  56  N.  53rd  St.,  Phila.,  Pa. 

Prof.  W.  A.  Harper,  LL.D.,  Elon  College,  N.  C. 

Rev.  F.  G.  Coffin,  D.D.,  Albany,  Mo. 

African  M.  E.  Church 

Bishop  L.  J.  Coppin,  1913  Bainbridge  St.,  Phila.,  Pa. 

Primitive  Methodist  Church 

Mr.  W.  H.  Davies,  2609  W.  Lehigh  Ave.,  Phila.,  Pa. 

Mr.  Enoch  Georges,  5106  Carnegie  Ave.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa. 

Rev.  W.  C.  Hall,  Shamokin,  Pa. 

Rev.  E.  Humphries,  D.D.,  New  Bedford,  Mass. 

Rev.  S.  I.  Nicholls,  2609  W.  Lehigh  Ave.,  Phila.,  Pa. 

Rev.  W.  F.  Paul,  Plymouth,  Pa. 

African  M.  E.  Zion  Church 

Rev.  J.  W.  Brown,  110  West  139th  St.,  New  York,  N.  Y. 

Rev.  C.  C.  Alleyne,  87  Winyah  Ave.,  New  Rochelle,  N.  Y. 

Five  Years’  Meeting  of  the  Friends  in  America: 

Prof.  Rufus  M.  Jones,  Haverford  College,  Haverford,  Pa. 

Rev.  Errol  D.  Peckham,  305  Lafayette  Ave.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 


4 


I. 


DUTY  OF  AD  INTERIM  COMMITTEE 
in  re  formulation  of  a 
PLAN  OF  ORGANIC  UNION 


On  recommendation  of  its  Committee  on  Business  and  Reso- 
lutions, the  Interchurch  Conference  on  the  Organic  Union  of  the 
Evangelical  Churches  in  the  U.  S.  A.,  held  in  Witherspoon  Hall, 
Philadelphia,  in  December,  1918,  created  this  Ad  Interim  Com- 
mittee, and,  inter  alia,  gave  it  the  following  instructions: 

“That  the  members  of  this  Conference  from  each  communion, 
whether  present  in  official  or  personal  capacity,  be  asked  as  soon 
as  possible  to  appoint  representatives  on  an  Ad  Interim  Com- 
mittee to  carry  forward  the  movement  toward  Organic  Union 
here  intiated  

This  Committee  shall  be  charged  with  the  following  duties : 

(a)  To  develop  and  use  at  its  discretion  agencies  and  methods 
for  discovering  and  creating  interest  in  the  subject  of  Organic 
Union  throughout  the  Churches  of  the  country. 

(b)  To  make  provision  for  presenting  by  personal  delega- 
tions, or  otherwise,  to  the  national  bodies  of  all  the  evangelical 
communions  of  the  United  States  urgent  invitations  to  participate 
in  an  Interdenominational  Council  on  Organic  Union. 

(c)  To  lay  before  the  bodies  thus  approached  the  steps  neces- 
sary for  the  holding  of  such  council,  including  the  plan  and  basis 

5 


of  representation  and  the  date  of  the  Council  which  shall  be  as 
early  as  possible,  and,  in  any  event,  not  later  than  1920. 

{d)  To  prepare  for  presentation  to  such  Council  when  it 
shall  assemble  a suggested  plan  or  plans  of  Organic  Union. 

{e)  To  consider  and  report  upon  any  legal  matters  related  to 
the  plan  or  plans  of  union  which  it  may  propose. 

In  requesting  the  Ad  Interim  Committee  to  undertake  the 
arduous  task  outlined,  the  Conference  desires  the  Committee  to 
proceed  with  freedom  at  every  point.  As  of  possible  assistance, 
however,  in  the  deliberations,  the  Conference  expresses  its  pres- 
ent judgment  as  to  certain  aspects  of  the  problem  to  be  faced. 

1.  The  Conference  is  profoundly  solicitous  that  the  effort  for 
organic  union  shall  have  first  regard  to  those  forces  of  vital 
spiritual  life  which  alone  give  meaning  to  our  effort.  No 
mechanical  uniformity  must  be  sought,  nor  any  form  of  organi- 
zation which  ignores  or  thwarts  the  free  movement  of  the  Spirit 
of  God,  in  the  hearts  of  His  servants. 

2.  In  line  with  this  desire  the  Conference  hopes  the  Com- 

mittee will  be  able  to  devise  plans  so  broad  and  flexible  as  to 
make  place  for  all  the  evangelical  churches  of  the  land,  whatever 
their  outlook  of  tradition,  temperament  or  taste,  whatever  their 
relationships  racially  or  historically 

3.  The  notice  of  the  Committee  is  directed  to  the  efforts  for 
Organic  Union  represented  in  other  lands,  especially  the  Churches 
of  Canada.  The  remarkable  and  significant  statement  recently 
issued  by  a joint  committee  of  Anglican  and  Free  Churches  of 
Great  Britain  will  also  call  for  the  study  of  the  Committee. 

4 The  Conference  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  in  its  search 
for  a -plan  of  Organic  Union,  the  Committee  will  not  be  pre- 
cluded from  considering  plans  of  Federal  Union  such  as  are  in 
varying  forms  present  to  the  minds  of  members  of  this  Confer- 
ence. Our  nation  is  a federal  union  but  it  is  not  the  less  an 
organic  union.  Care  should  be  used  not  to  confuse  the  term 
“federal”  as  thus  employed,  with  this  meaning  when  used  to 
signify  “associated”  or  “cooperative.” 

6 


PLAN  FOR  FEDERAL  UNION 


Approved  by 

THE  AD  INTERIM  COMMITTEE 

Fathers  and  Brethren  : — 

The  130th  General  Assembly  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in 
the  United  States  of  America  convened  May,  1918,  at  Columbus, 
Ohio,  extended  an  invitation  to  the  national  bodies  of  evangelical 
communions  of  America  to  meet  for  the  purpose  of  formulating 
a plan  of  organic  union.  In  taking  this  action  and  extending  an 
invitation  to  that  end  it  was  stated,  “The  purpose  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church  is  simply  to  invite  her  brethren  in  Christ  to  meet 
and  counsel  together  with  a view  to  finding  a way  by  which 
we  may  outwardly  and  concretely  express  that  spiritual  union 
which  we  believe  already  exists  among  the  people  of  Christ.” 
Pursuant  to  the  invitation  a preliminary  “Interchurch  Conference 
on  Organic  Union”  was  held  December  4,  5,  6,  1918,  in  Wither- 
spoon Hall,  Philadelphia,  and  the  proceedings  of  that  Confer- 
ence, adopted  unanimously  by  the  representatives  of  seventeen 
evangelical  churches,  have  been  fully  recorded  in  the  issue  of 
the  Christian  Union  Quarterly  for  April,  1919,  a copy  of 
which  is  submitted  herewith  as  “Paper  A,”  and  made  by  reference 
a part  of  this  report. 


II. 

In  the  final  resolutions  of  that  Conference  (see  page  23  of 
“Paper  A”),  an  ad  interim  Committee  was  provided  for  to  carry 
forward  the  movement  toward  organic  union  initiated  by  said 
Conference.  This  committee  was  to  be  composed  of  one  member 
from  each  communion,  with  an  additional  member  for  each  five 
hundred  thousand  communicants  or  major  fraction  thereof  ; in 
addition,  the  Foreign  Mission  Conference  and  the  Home  Mission 
Council  were  each  asked  to  name  a member  of  such  committee, 
and  provision  was  made  for  additions  to  the  membership  of  said 
committee,  upon  the  same  terms,  of  representatives  of  evangelical 
denominations  subsequently  receiving  and  accepting  the  invita- 

7 


tion  to  take  part  in  the  movement.  The  duties  of  this  ad  interim 
committee  (see  page  — , ) were  as  follows: 

“5.  This  ad  interim  Committee  shall  be  charged  with  the 
following  duties: 

(a)  To  develop  and  use  at  its  discretion,  agencies  and 
methods  for  discovering  and  creating  interest  in  the  subject 
of  Organic  Union  throughout  the  Churches  of  the  country. 

{b)  To  make  provision  for  presenting  by  personal  dele- 
gations, or  otherwise,  to  the  national  bodies  of  all  the  evan- 
gelical communions  of  the  United  States,  urgent  invitations 
to  participate  in  an  Interdenominational  Council  on  Organic 
Union. 

(c)  To  lay  before  the  bodies  thus  approached  the  steps 
necessary  for  the  holding  of  such  Council,  including  the 
plan  and  basis  of  representation,  and  the  date  of  the  Council, 
which  shall  be  as  early  as  possible,  and  in  any  event,  not 
later  than  1920. 

{d)  To  prepare  for  presentation  to  such  Council  when 
it  shall  assemble  a suggested  plan  or  plans  of  Organic  Union. 

(<?)  To  consider  and  report  upon  any  legal  matters  re- 
lated to  the  plan  or  plans  of  union  which  it  may  propose. 

6.  In  addition  to  the  above,  the  Ad  Interim  Committee 
is  directed  to  report  to  the  Interdenominational  Council  on 
any  and  all  matters  within  the  field  of  its  inquiries.  The 
Committee  will  be  subject  to  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Council. 

“In  requesting  the  Ad  Interim  Committee  to  undertake 
the  arduous  task  outlined,  the  Conference  desires  the  Com- 
mittee to  proceed  with  freedom  at  every  point.  As  of 
possible  assistance,  however,  in  the  deliberations,  the  Con- 
ference expresses  its  present  judgment  as  to  certain  aspects 
of  the  problem  to  be  faced. 

1.  The  Conference  is  profoundly  solicitous  that  the  effort 
for  organic  union  shall  have  first  regard  to  those  forces  of 
vital  spiritual  life  which  alone  give  meaning  to  our  effort. 
No  mechanical  uniformity  must  be  sought,  nor  any  form 

8 


of  organization  which  ignores  or  thwarts  the  free  movement 
of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  the  hearts  of  His  serv'ants. 

2.  In  line  with  this  desire  the  Conference  hopes  the 
Committee  will  be  able  to  devise  plans  so  broad  and  flexible 
as  to  make  place  for  all  the  evangelical  churches  of  the  land, 
whatever  their  outlook  of  tradition,  temperament  or  taste, 
whatever  their  relationships  racially  or  historically. 

3.  The  Conference  regards  with  deep  interest  and  warm 
approbation  all  the  movements  of  our  time  towards  closer 
cooperative  relations  between  communions,  especially  the 
notable  service  rendered  by  the  Federal  Council  of  the 
Churches  of  Christ  in  America.  While  the  Ad  Interim 
Committee’s  aim  and  function  will  lie  in  a field  entirely  dif- 
ferent from  those  movements,  it  will  be  expected  to  maintain 
sympathetic  relations  with  them,  and  to  regard  with  satis- 
faction any  reinforcement  which  its  activities  may  bring 
to  them. 

4.  The  notice  of  the  Committee  is  directed  to  the  efforts 
for  Organic  Union  represented  in  other  lands,  especially  the 
Churches  of  Canada.  The  remarkable  and  significant  state- 
ment recently  issued  by  a joint  committee  of  Anglican  and 
Free  Churches  of  Great  Britain  will  also  call  for  the  study 
of  the  Committee. 

5.  The  Conference  calls  attention  to  the  fact  that  in  its 
search  for  a plan  of  Organic  Union,  the  Committee  will  not 
be  precluded  from  considering  plans  of  Federal  Union  such 
as  are  in  varying  forms  present  to  the  minds  of  members  of 
this  Conference.  Our  nation  is  a federal  union  but  is  not 
the  less  an  organic  union.  Care  should  be  used  not  to  con- 
fuse the  term  “federal”  as  thus  employed,  with  its  meaning 
when  used  to  signify  “associated”  or  “cooperative.” 

III. 

Thus  constituted,  and  with  the  foregoing  instructions,  the  Ad 
Interim  Committee  was  duly  convened  and  organized,  appointed 
officers  and  sub-committees  adequate  to  cover  the  various  duties 
assigned  to  it,  all  of  which  appears  in  the  minutes  of  said  Ad 

9 


Interim  Committee,  recorded  by  its  secretary,  and  which  are 
subject  to  the  orders  of  Council.  In  announcing  its  organization 
and  purpose  and  extending  an  invitation  to  communions  not 
previously  represented  at  the  Conference,  the  Committee  issued 
a statement  of  its  activity,  entitled  “Preliminary  Statement,” 
copies  of  which  are  presented  to  the  Council  In  this  paper  the 
following  statement  appears; 

“In  addition,  we  are  asked  to  submit  for  the  considera- 
tion of  such  Council,  when  it  shall  assemble,  a plan  or  plans 
of  organic  union.  Upon  this  task  we  have  made  a beginning 
and  hope  to  be  able  to  place  in  the  hands  of  the  delegates 
the  results  of  our  study  some  weeks  in  advance  of  the  date 
which  may  be  set  for  the  meeting  of  the  Council.” 

The  invitation  to  appoint  delegates  to  this  Ad  Interim  Com- 
mittee with  a view  to  being  represented  in  the  Interdenomina- 
tional Council  when  called  was  duly  extended  to 
communions,  a list  of  which  is  hereto  annexed  and  marked  “Paper 
D.”  The  Ad  Interim  Committee  having  received  acceptances 
from  communions  and  having  accordingly 

deemed  it  expedient  and  proper  in  performance  of  the  duty  laid 
upon  it  to  convene  the  Interdenominational  Council  for  the 
Third  day  of  February,  1920,  it  became  necessary  that  we 
should  adopt  for  the  consideration  of  said  Council  a plan  or 
plans  of  organic  union,  bearing  in  mind  the  instructions  of  the 
Interchurch  Conference  hereinabove  referred  to. 

IV. 

The  Sub-Committee  on  Plan  has  met,  not  only  at  the  monthly 
meetings  of  the  Ad  Interim  Committee,  but  between  the  sessions 
of  that  Committee,  and  has  submitted  regular  reports  outlining 
its  progress  and  the  various  plans  which  have  been  laid  before 
it  for  examination,  and  at  the  May  meeting  of  the  Ad  Interim 
Committee  held  in  New  York  City,  at  the  Broadway  Tabernacle, 
these  various  plans  as  then  elaborated  and  submitted  were  set 
forth  in  a Blue  Book,  a copy  of  which  is  herewith  presented  as 
an  Appendix  to  this  report  and  marked  “Paper  E.” 

Your  Ad  Interim  Committee,  with  these  plans  before  it,  has 

10 


adopted  for  presentation  for  the  consideration  of  the  Interde- 
nominational Council  after  discussion  at  several  meetings  of  the 
Committee,  the  plan  below  set  forth  as  in  its  judgment  conform- 
ing to  the  intent  of  the  Interchurch  Conference : 

(a)  In  that  it  recognizes  “those  forces  of  vital  spiritual  life 
which  alone  give  meaning  to  our  effort.” 

(b)  In  that  “no  mechanical  uniformity  must  be  sought,  nor 
any  form  of  organization  which  ignores  or  retards  the  free  move- 
ment of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  the  hearts  of  His  servants.” 

(c)  In  that  the  plan  is  so  broad  and  flexible  as  to  make  place 
for  all  evangelical  churches  of  the  land,  whatever  their  outlook 
of  tradition,  temperament  or  taste,  whatever  their  relationships, 
racially  or  historically.” 

(d)  In  that  it  recognizes  the  principle  laid  down  by  the 
Conference  that  this  “Ad  Interim  Committee  is  not  precluded 
from  considering  a plan  of  federal  union  which  is  none  the  less 
an  organic  union.” 


V. 

Accordingly,  we,  the  members  of  the  Ad  Interim  Committee 
created  by  said  Conference,  together  with  representatives  of  other 
churches  who  have  since  been  similarly  delegated,  in  obedience  to 
the  direction  that  we  prepare  for  presentation  to  an  Interdenom- 
national  Council  on  Organic  Union  a suggested  plan  of  organic 
union,  do  hereby  recommend  the  following  plan : 

Preamble  ; 

Whereas:  we  desire  to  share,  as  a common  heritage,  the 
faith  of  the  Evangelical  churches,  which  has,  from  time  to  time, 
found  expression  in  great  historic  statements ; and 

Whereas:  we  all  share  belief  in  God  our  Father;  in  Jesus 
Christ,  his  only  Son,  our  Saviour ; in  the  Holy  Spirit,  our  Guide 
and  Comforter;  in  the  Holy  Catholic  Church,  through  which 
God’s  eternal  purpose  of  salvation  is  both  to  be  proclaimed  and 
realized;  in  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments  as 
containing  God’s  revealed  will,  and  in  the  life  eternal ; and 

Whereas  : having  the  same  spirit  and  owning  the  same  Lord, 

11 


we  none  the  less  recognize  diversity  of  gifts  and  ministrations 
for  whose  exercise  due  freedom  must  always  be  afforded  in 
forms  of  worship  and  in  modes  of  operation : 

Plan  : 

Now,  we  the  churches  hereto  assenting  as  hereinafter  provided 
in  Article  VI  do  hereby  agree  to  associate  ourselves  in  a visible 
body  to  be  known  as  the  “United  Churches  of  Christ  in  America”, 
for  the  furtherance  of  the  redemptive  work  of  Christ  in  the  world. 
This  body  shall  exercise  in  behalf  of  the  constituent  churches  the 
functions  delegated  to  it  by  this  instrument,  or  by  subsequent 
action  of  the  constituent  churches,  which  shall  retain  the  full 
freedom  at  present  enjoyed  by  them  in  all  matters  not  so  dele- 
gated. 

Accordingly,  the  churches  hereto  assenting  and  hereafter  thus 
associated  in  such  visible  body  do  mutually  covenant  and  agree 
as  follows : 

I.  Complete  autonomy  in  purely  denominational  affairs. 

In  the  interest  of  the  freedom  of  each  and  of  the  cooperation 
of  all,  each  constituent  church  reserves  the  right  to  retain  its 
creedal  statements,  its  form  of  government  in  the  conduct  of  its 
own  affairs,  and  its  particular  mode  of  worship : 

In  taking  this  step,  we  look  forward  with  confident  hope  to 
that  complete  unity  toward  which  we  believe  the  Spirit  of  God 
is  leading  us.  Once  we  shall  have  cooperated  wholeheartedly, 
in  such  visible  body,  in  the  holy  activities  of  the  work  of  the 
church,  we  are  persuaded  that  our  differences  will  be  minimized 
and  our  union  become  more  vital  and  effectual. 

II.  The  Council.  (Its  Constitution.) 

The  United  Churches  of  Christ  in  America  shall  act  through 
a Council  or  through  such  Executive  and  Judicial  Commissions, 
or  Administrative  Boards,  working  ad  interim,  as  such  Council 
may  from  time  to  time  appoint  and  ordain. 

The  Council  shall  convene  in  19  and  every  second  year 
thereafter.  It  may  also  be  convened  at  any  time  in  such  manner 
as  its  own  rules  may  prescribe.  The  Council  shall  be  a rep- 
resentative body. 


12 


Each  constituent  church  shall  be  entitled  to  representation 
therein  by  an  equal  number  of  ministers  and  of  laymen. 

The  basis  of  representation  shall  be ; two  ministers  and  two 
laymen  for  the  first  one  hundred  thousand  or  fraction  thereof  of 
its  communicants ; and  two  ministers  and  two  laymen  for  each 
additional  one  hundred  thousand  or  major  fraction  thereof. 

III.  The  Council.  (Its  Working.) 

The  Council  shall  adopt  and  promulgate  its  own  rules  of 
procedure  and  order.  It  shall  define  the  functions  of  its  own 
officers,  prescribe  the  mode  of  their  selection  and  their  compensa- 
tion, if  any.  It  shall  provide  for  its  budget  of  expense  by  equi- 
table apportionment  of  the  same  among  the  constituent  churches 
through  their  supreme  governing  or  advisory  bodies. 

IV.  Relation  of  Council  and  Constituent  Churches. 

The  supreme  governing  or  advisory  bodies  of  the  constituent 
churches  shall  effectuate  the  decisions  of  the  Council  by  general 
or  specific  deliverance  or  other  mandate  whenever  it  may  be 
required  by  the  law  of  a particular  state,  or  the  charter  of  a 
particular  Board,  or  other  ecclesiastical  corporation ; but,  except 
as  limited  by  this  Plan,  shall  continue  the  exercise  of  their  several 
powers  and  functions  as  the  same  exist  under  the  denominational 
constitution. 

The  Council  shall  give  full  faith  and  credit  to  the  authenti- 
cated acts  and  records  of  the  several  governing  or  advisory 
bodies  of  the  constituent  churches. 

V.  Specific  Functions  of  the  Council. 

In  order  to  prevent  overlapping,  friction,  competition  or  waste 
in  the  work  of  the  existing  denominational  boards  or  administra- 
tive agencies,  and  to  further  the  efficiency  of  that  degree  of 
cooperation  which  they  have  already  achieved  in  their  work  at 
home  and  abroad : 

(a)  The  Council  shall  harmonize  and  unify  the  work  of  the 
United  Churches. 

(b)  It  shall  direct  such  consolidation  of  their  missionary 
activities  as  well  as  of  particular  churches  in  over-churched  areas 
as  is  consonant  with  the  law  of  the  land  or  of  the  particular 

13 


denomination  affected.  Such  consolidation  may  be  progressively 
achieved,  as  by  the  uniting  of  the  boards  or  churches  of  any  two 
or  more  constituent  denominations,  or  may  be  accelerated, 
delayed,  or  dispensed  with,  as  the  interests  of  the  United 
Churches  may  demand. 

(c)  If  and  when  any  two  or  more  constituent  churches,  by 
their  supreme  governing  or  advisory  bodies,  submit  to  the  Coun- 
cil for  its  arbitrament  any  matter  of  mutual  concern,  not  hereby 
already  covered,  the  Council  shall  consider  and  pass  upon  such 
matter  so  submitted. 

The  Council  shall  undertake  inspirational  and  educational 
leadership  of  such  sort  and  measure  as  may  be  decided  upon  by 
the  constituent  churches  from  time  to  time  in  the  fields  of 
Evangelism,  Social  Service,  Religious  Education,  or  the  like. 

VI.  The  assent  of  each  constituent  church  to  this  Plan  shall 
be  certified  from  its  supreme  governing  or  advisory  body  by  the 
appropriate  officers  thereof  to  the  Chairman  of  the  Ad  Interim 
Committee,  which  shall  have  power  to  convene  the  Council  as 
soon  as  the  assent  of  at  least  six  denominations  shall  have  been 
so  certified. 


Your  Ad  Interim  Committee  submitting  this  draft  of  a plan 
would  respectfully  emphasize  the  following  features  thereof : 

(a)  That  it  is  in  the  nature  of  a federal  union  in  that  the 
constituent  churches  cooperate  in  the  futherance  of  Christ’s 
redemptive  work  in  the  world  through  an  independent  body  by 
which  their  various  joint  activities  are  mediated. 

(b)  That  it  is  an  organic  union  in  that  it  has  the  vital  prin- 
ciple of  growth  and  development ; that  the  Council  has  definite 
functions  and  duties,  and  that  these  functions  and  duties  may 
from  time  to  time  be  developed  in  like  manner  as  the  functions 
of  our  federal  government  in  the  United  States  of  America  may 
from  time  to  time,  by  Constitutional  Amendment,  be  modified  or 
enlarged. 

Among  the  papers  that  are  submitted  with  this  report  subject 
to  the  orders  of  Council  are  the  successive  reports  of  the  Sub- 

14 


Committee  on  Plan,  recording  the  inadvisability  of  attempting 
to  achieve  by  one  step  what  may  more  orderly  and  surely  be 
accomplished  by  several  steps,  and  in  particular  the  following 
from  the  third  report  of  such  Sub-Committee  (see  page  15  of 
“Paper  E.”).  “In  order  to  progress,  the  first  step  must  be  taken 
in  the  right  direction  . . . the  plan  of  federal  union  (that  is, 

by  uniting  the  churches  through  the  mediation  of  a Council  that 
shall  have  real  powers  of  review  and  control  and  unify  the  work 
of  all  the  communions  participating),  will  have  this  result;  That, 
after  it  shall  have  been  in  operation  for  a term  of  years,  the 
importance  of  divisive  names  and  creeds  and  methods  will  pass 
more  and  more  into  the  dim  background  of  the  past,  and  acquire, 
even  in  the  particular  denomination  itself,  a merely  historical 
value,  and  that  the  churches  then  will  be  ready  for  and  will 
demand  a more  complete  union ; so  that  what  was  the  United 
Churches  of  Christ  in  America  can  become  the  United  Church  of 
Christ  in  America,  a real  ecclesiastical  entity,  with  ecclesiastical 
powers,  holding  and  administering  ecclesiastical  property  and 
funds  of  such  united  church. 

Accordingly  this  Committee  has  submitted  but  one  plan  with 
its  recommendation,  but  there  appear  in  the  Blue  Book  (Pages 
— ),  submitted  with  this  report,  among  the  other  plans  considered 
by  your  Ad  Interim  Committee,  documents  embodying  plans  of 
such  complete  united  church,  with  more  specific  articulations  of 
powers  and  functions,  which  can  be  preserved  for  the  considera- 
tion of  the  Council  at  some  future  time  when  it  may  be  deemed 
expedient  to  take  a further  step  in  the  direction  of  organic 
union. 

We  respectfully  submit  that  the  form  of  union  at  present 
commended  for  the  consideration  of  the  Council  does  not  inter- 
ject into  its  deliberation  any  disputatious  topic,  any  question 
of  the  validity  of  orders  or  of  the  modes  and  subjects  of  baptism 
or  of  the  formulation  of  a specific  or  comprehensive  creed.  But 
that  we  contemplate  a preliminary  period  of  cooperating  in  this 
union  that  shall  fulfill  the  hope  and  longing  expressed  by  the 
Conference  (see  p.  25,  “Paper  A”),  “That  the  evangelical 
churches  may  give  themselves  with  a new  faith  and  ardor  to 

15 


the  proclamation  of  the  Gospel,  which  is  the  only  hope  of  our 
stricken  world,  and  to  all  those  ministries  of  Christian  love  and 
leading  for  the  community,  the  nation  and  the  nations,  by  which 
they  shall  reveal  to  men  the  mind  of  Christ  and  hasten  the 
coming  of  his  Kingdom.” 

We  call  to  the  notice  of  the  Council  that  the  taking  of  this  first 
step  toward  unity  will  not  call  for  a present  report  on  any  legal 
questions  since  denominational  autonomy  is  continued  and  no 
property  rights  impaired. 

RECOMMENDATIONS. 

First.  We  recommend  that  the  foregoing  plan  be  placed  upon 
the  docket  of  the  Council  for  its  consideration  and  action. 

Second.  We  recommend  that,  in  contemplation  of  the  fact 
that  in  the  various  groups  of  churches  belonging  to  the  same 
denomination  mergers  or  unions  may  from  time  to  time  occur 
by  appropriate  ecclesiastical  action  and  resulting  in  the  creation 
of  new  or  consolidated  denominations : the  Council  should  estab- 
lish a commission  to  be  known  as  “The  Commission  on  Group 
Union  of  Constituent  Bodies,”  for  the  purpose  of  conferring 
with  any  communion  about  to  merge  or  consolidate,  with  a view 
if  possible  to  the  unification  of  the  constitutions  of  such  con- 
solidating churches  in  order  to  simplify  the  progress  of  all  the 
churches  toward  the  ultimate  adoption  of  a constitution  for  the 
United  Church  of  Christ  in  America. 

Third.  We  recommend  that  the  Council  consider,  and  if 
deemed  advisable,  make  provision  for  its  relationship  to  such 
independent,  unattached,  or  so-called  union  or  community 
churches  which  shall  hold  to  the  faith  commonly  held  in  the 
Council  as  shall  in  time  effectually  relate  them  to  this  movement 
for  the  organic  union  of  the  evangelical  churches  of  America. 

Fourth.  We  recommend  that  the  attention  of  the  constituent 
churches  be  called  to  the  fact  that  the  assent  called  by  Article  VI. 
of  the  Plan  should  be  secured  in  conformity  with  the  constitution 
of  each  constituent  church. 


16 


CONSTITUTION 

OF  THE 

UNITED  CHURCH  OF  AMERICA 

[Presented  by  Dr.  Hubert  C.  Herring,  Secretary.  | 


Article  I.  Name. 

The  name  of  this  body  shall  be  the  United  Church  of  America. 
Article  H.  Membership. 

It  shall  consist  of  all  denominations  and  local  churches  who 
accept  this  Constitution  and  are  admitted  to  membership  by  the 
National  Conference  of  the  United  Church. 

Article  HI.  Faith. 

The  United  Church  recognizes  in  the  historic  creeds  of  the 
evangelical  communions  varying  expressions  of  their  common 
Christian  faith.  It  shares  their  belief  in  God  the  Father,  Infinite 
in  wisdom,  goodness  and  love ; and  in  Jesus  Christ,  his  Son.  our 
Lord  and  Saviour,  who  for  us  and  our  salvation  lived  and  died 
and  rose  again  and  liveth  evermore ; in  the  Holy  Spirit,  who 
taketh  of  the  things  of  Christ  and  revealeth  them  to  us,  renewing, 
comforting,  and  inspiring  the  souls  of  men ; in  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures by  which  the  will  of  God  is  revealed ; in  the  Church,  the 
living  body  of  Christ ; and  in  life  eternal  beyond  the  grave.  It 
accords  its  members  both  as  groups  and  as  individuals  in  all  lesser 
matters  to  that  broad  liberty  wherewith  Christ  has  set  us  free. 

Article  IV.  The  Local  Church. 

Each  local  church  belonging  to  the  United  Church  will  have 
authority  over  the  following  matters : — 

(a)  The  control  of  property  held  by  it.  See  («)  below. 

(fc)  The  terms  of  admission  of  members  on  confession  of 
faith. 

(c)  The  times  and  modes  of  administering  the  Sacraments, 
save  as  limited  by  (j)  and  (k)  below. 

17 


[d)  The  initiative  in  the  settling  or  dismissal  of  a pastor. 
See  Article  V (e)  below. 

(c)  The  forms  of  worship  used. 

if)  The  discipline  of  members  save  as  limited  by  V (/) 
below'. 

{g)  The  causes  to  which  it  shall  contribute  and  the  amounts 
to  be  given  for  the  same. 

In  the  interest  of  fraternity,  order  and  union  of  effort,  each 
church  becoming  a member  of  the  United  Church  agrees  to  the 
following; — 

(//)  It  will  receive  into  its  membership,  without  other  con- 
dition, any  person  bearing  a certificate  of  dismission 
from  any  church  of  the  United  Church. 

(;)  It  wfill  maintain  the  stated  observance  of  the  sacraments 
of  baptism  and  the  Lord’s  Supper  in  the  use  of  the 
words  and  acts  prescribed  in  the  New  Testament. 

(/)  It  will  make  careful  and  fraternal  provision  for  admin- 
istering baptism  by  immersion  to  those  who  desire 
that  form. 

{ k)  It  will  make  provision  for  administration  of  infant  bap- 
tism either  statedly  or  (if  baptism  of  adults  only  be 
its  regular  mode)  at  the  request  of  parents,  a neigh- 
boring pastor  being  asked  to  officiate  if  needful. 

(l)  It  will  recognize  the  authority  of  the  District  Council  in 

whose  territory  it  is  located  on  the  matters  and  within 
the  limits  described  below. 

(m)  It  will  participate  through  statedly  chosen  delegates  in  the 

meetings  of  its  District  Council. 

(7;)  It  will  make  definite  legal  provision  for  the  reversion  of 
its  property  to  the  Synod  of  its  State,  if  it  shall  cease 
to  exist  as  a church  and  for  a decision  by  a Board 
of  Appraisers  (see  below)  as  to  the  respective  equities 
of  itself  and  the  United  Church  in  its  property  in  case 
it  w'ithdraw's  from  the  United  Church. 

18 


Article  V.  The  District  Council. 


Local  churches  belonging  to  the  United  Church  shall  be 
grouped  geographically  into  District  Councils  of  such  size  as  shall 
appear  expedient.  Each  church  shall  be  represented  in  the  Coun- 
cil by  its  pastor  and  one  delegate,  with  an  additional  delegate  for 
each  100  members  or  major  fraction  thereof. 

The  powers  and  duties  of  the  District  Council  shall  he  as 
follows : — 

(a)  To  pass  upon  applications  for  ordination  to  the  ministry 

and  to  ordain  the  candidates  accepted. 

(b)  To  pass  upon  applications  for  acceptance  made  by  min- 

isters of  other  communions  and,  in  case  of  those 
received,  to  require  reordination  if  deemed  desirable. 
All  ministers  received  under  this  section  or  under  (a) 
above  become  ministers  of  the  United  Church,  their 
membership  being  thenceforth  not  in  a local  church, 
but  in  a District  Council,  by  which  they  may  be  trans- 
ferred to  other  Councils.  In  the  case  of  communions 
initially  joining  to  form  the  United  Church  in  case  of 
any  communion  thereafter  accepted  as  a body,  all 
ministers  become  ipso  facto  ministers  of  the  United 
Church. 

(c)  To  have  oversight  of  the  ministers  enrolled  in  it§  mem- 

bership with  power  of  discipline  or  expulsion  under 
conditions  prescribed  by  the  National  Conference. 

(d)  To  have  oversight  of  the  churches  enrolled  in  its  mem- 

bership calling  their  attention  to  any  failure  to  meet 
obligations  assumed  under  this  constitution  and  with 
power  to  terminate  the  membership  of  any  church 
persistently  refusing  to  meet  those  obligations. 

(e)  To  receive  from  the  churches  within  its  bounds  nomina- 

tions to  vacant  pulpits  and  to  pass  upon  the  same. 
Approval  of  such  nomination  shall  be  requisite  for 
the  establishment  of  the  pastoral  relation  whether  in 
the  form  of  temporary  supply  or  of  installation.  The 
19 


National  Conference  shall  present  the  details  under 
which  this  relationship  shall  be  conducted. 

(/)  To  hear  and  pass  upon  appeals  from  decisions  of  local 
churches. 

(g)  To  collect  from  each  church  in  its  membership  an  annual 

sum  not  exceeding  25  cents  per  member,  the  same  to 
be  known  as  “Council  Dues.”  With  the  amount  thus 
collected  the  Council  shall  meet  its  own  expenses  and 
its  share  of  the  administrative  expenses  of  the  State 
Synod  and  the  National  Conference. 

(h)  To  serve  the  churches  in  its  membership  on  all  the  lines 

of  practical  church  life  as  opportunity  may  offer. 

(f)  To  share  in  the  general  life  and  work  of  the  United 
Church  under  plans  adopted  by  the  National  Con- 
ference. 

(j)  To  conform  in  its  organization,  times  of  meeting  and 
procedure  to  the  general  plan  prescribed  by  the 
National  Conference. 

Article  VI.  The  State  Synod. 

• 

The  churches  in  each  state  (contiguous  states  being  grouped 
or  single  states  being  divided  if  circumstances  suggest)  shall 
form  a State  Synod.  It  shall  consist  of  five  delegates  from  each 
District  Council  and  five  additional  delegates  for  each  25  churches 
or  major  fraction  thereof  in  such  Council.  Its  duties  shall  be 
as  follows: — 

(a)  To  have  charge  of  such  missionary  work  within  its 
bounds  as  may  be  assigned  it  under  the  general  plan 
adopted  by  the  National  Conference.  This  duty  in- 
cludes the  educational  and  Sunday  school  field  as  well 
as  the  church  field. 

(t>)  To  have  charge  of  the  promotion  of  beneficence  within 
its  bounds. 

(c)  To  support  the  Bishop  or  Bishops  chosen  by  it  in  the 

prosecution  of  his  or  their  duties. 

(d)  To  form  a legal  incorporation  to  receive,  hold  and  admin- 

20 


ister  property  given  or  bequeathed,  also  church  prop- 
erties reverting  under  Article  IV  (n)  above. 

(c)  To  make  provision  under  general  plans  adopted  by  the 
National  Conference  for  appraisal  and  division  of 
church  properties  under  Article  IV  (n)  above. 

(/)  To  promote  relations  of  fellowship  and  to  give  inspira- 
tional leadership  among  the  churches  composing  it. 
(g)  To  hear  and  pass  upon  appeals  from  decisions  of  District 
Councils,  such  appeals  being  limited  to  questions  on 
which  the  Council  has  original  jurisdiction. 

Article  VII.  The  National  Conference. 

The  central  authority  in  the  United  Church  shall  be  vested 
in  the  National  Conference.  It  shall  meet  annually  and  shall 
be  composed  of  two  delegates  chosen  by  each  Synod,  with  two 
additional  for  such  number  of  churches  in  each  Synod  as  shall 
make  the  Conference  membership  not  less  than  5(D0  nor  more 
than  1000  at  any  time. 

The  duties  and  powers  of  the  National  Conference  shall  be 
as  follows : — 

(a)  To  receive  and  pass  upon  applications  for  membership 

in  the  United  Church,  whether  by  local  churches  or 
denominational  bodies.  Assignment  of  churches  thus 
received  to  District  Councils  shall  be  made  by  the 
Conference  or  delegated  by  it  to  the  Synod. 

(b)  To  organize,  control  and  conduct  all  missionary  opera- 

tions of  the  United  Church.  In  the  discharge  of  this 
duty  it  will  assign  such  functions  and  authority  to 
Synods  and  Councils  as  it  deems  expedient. 

(c)  To  maintain  and  direct  such  Commissions,  Committees 

or  officials  in  the  fields  of  evangelism,  social  service, 
etc.,  as  may  seem  needful  to  give  due  leadership  to  the 
thought  and  work  of  the  churches.  It  may  require  the 
appointment  of  corresponding  cooperating  committees 
in  Synods  and  Councils. 

(d)  To  maintain  a national  office  for  collection  and  dissem- 

21 


ination  of  statistical  and  other  information  and  for 
rendering  assistance  to  committees  of  the  Conference 
not  having  other  executive  service  at  their  disposal. 

(e)  To  represent  the  United  Church  in  relations  with  other 
religious  bodies  and  with  the  civil  authorities  where 
needful. 

(/)  To  make  regulations  for  the  orderly  and  uniform  opera- 
tion of  the  provisions  of  this  Constitution  as  related 
to  Synods  and  Councils. 

(g)  To  provide  for  all  matters  of  common  concern  not  reserved 
by  this  Constitution  to  Synods,  Councils  or  local 
churches. 

{Ii)  To  allocate  to  the  Councils  the  raising  of  such  annual 
sums  as  are  required  for  the  maintenance  of  its 
national  office,  payment  of  expenses  of  delegates  to  its 
meetings,  etc. 

(t)  To  hear  and  pass  upon  appeals  from  Synods,  such  appeals 
being  limited  to  matters  in  which  the  Synod  has  orig- 
inal jurisdiction. 

(;)  To  provide  for  such  officials  of  oversight  in  the  Synods 
as  may  prove  expedient. 

Article  VIII.  Amendments. 

This  Constitution  may  be  amended  by  a majority  vote  of  two 
General  Conferences,  provided  that  in  the  intervening  period  the 
proposed  amendment  receives  the  approval  of  two-thirds  of  the 
District  Councils. 


REVISION  OF  THE  CONSTITUTION  WRITTEN  BY 
DR.  HERRING 

[Prepared  and  Offered  by  Dr.  Peach.] 


[Note. — At  the  June  meeting  of  the  Ad  Interim  Committee 
1 stated,  in  effect,  that  the  Constitution  drawn  up  by  Dr.  Herring 
substantially  expressed,  in  detail,  what  my  Constitutional  Plan 

22 


proposed  in  broad  outline ; and  that,  with  some  revision  thereof, 
I should  hope,  in  due  time,  to  be  permitted  to  advocate  considera- 
tion of  his  proposed  Constitution,  rather  than  my  own  plan.  My 
suggested  revision  is  here  submitted,  after  having  been  read  by 
Dr.  Herring,  who  wrote  that  my  emendations  appealed  to  him 
almost  without  exception.  May  it  here  be  well’  noted  that 
this  Constitution  is  equally  adaptable  for  consolidations  of  groups 
of  constituent  bodies  of  “The  United  Churches  of  Christ  in 
America”  after  the  federal  union  so  named  shall  have  been 
achieved,  as  steps  toward  the  complete  organic  union  for  the 
use  of  which  it  was  designed. — R.  W.  P.] 


THE  REVISIONS. 

Title  (and  elsewhere  throughout),  after  “Church  of”  add 
Christ  in. 

Art.  II,  line  1,  for  “who”  substitute  which. 

Art.  Ill,  line  1,  after  “Church”  insert  of  Christ,  not  adopting 
any  symbol  or  creed ; line  3,  for  “shares  their”  substitute  avows 
their  common;  line  5,  after  “us  and”  insert  for;  line  10,  after 
“Christ”  insert  in  the  sacraments  of  baptism  and  the  Lord’s  Sup- 
per, instituted  by  Christ  and  committed  by  Him  to  the  Church; 
line  12,  omit  “to.” 

Art.  IV,  transpose  (c)  and  (/)  ; in  (d)  put  “See  . . . below” 
within  brackets;  combine  (;)  and  (k),  conjoined  by  and,  striking 
out  of  the  former  “careful  and  fraternal”  and  of  the  latter  “It 
will  make  provision;”  and  after  “parents”  insert  in  either  case; 
re-letter  the  succeeding  sections;  in  the  present  (/)  for  “de- 
scribed” substitute  prescribed ; in  (n)  for  “a  decision”  substitute 
an  adjudication. 

Art.  V,  line  4,  after  “one”  insert  lay;  after  “additional”  insert 
lay;  re-letter  this  section  as  (b),  and  the  succeeding  sections  in 
order;  insert  as  new  section  (a)  : To  approve  or  reject  the  appli- 
cation for  membership  of  newly  organised  congregations,  or  of 
consolidations  of  two  or  more  neighboring  congregations,  taking 
the  name  “The  United  Church  of  Chrisf’  in  addition  to  some 
specific  chosen  designation;  in  the  present  (b),  line  1,  for  “ac- 

23 


captance”  substitute  enrollment , and  strike  out  line  2 beginning 
with  “and”  and  all  of  line  3 ; in  line  4,  after  “All  ministers”  insert 
ordained  under  [the  former]  (c)  or,  and  strike  out  “or  under 
(a);”  line  8,  insert  District  before  “Councils;”  line  9, . after 
“Church”  insert  likewise;  change  period  at  end  of  this  section 
to  comma  and  add  with  authority  to  administer  the  sacraments 
and  perform  all  other  recognised  offices  of  the  ministry.  In  the 
present  {e)  of  Art.  V,  line  6,  for  “present”  substitute  prescribe; 
line  7,  for  “conducted”  substitute  constimmated ; in  the  present 
ill),  line  2,  for  “life”  substitute  work. 

Art  VI,  line  2,  for  “circumstances  suggest”  substitute  condi- 
tions make  advisable;  line  3,  omit  “five”  and  after  “delegates” 
insert  two  ministers  and  two  laymen;  line  4,  strike  out  “five”  and 
after  “delegates”  insert  {two  ministers  and  two  laymen)  ; in  (c) 
of  Art.  VI,  for  “Bishop  or  Bishops”  substitute  bishop  or  bishops, 
or,  superintendent  or  superintendents;  and  in  {g),  line  3,  for 
“Council  has”  substitute  said  Councils  have. 

Art.  VII,  line  3,  after  “delegates”  insert  one  minister  and  one 
laxman;  line  4,  after  “additional”  insert  {one  minister  and  one 
layman).  In  (a)  of  Art.  VII,  line  2,  strike  out  “whether”  and 
“local  churches  or  ;”  line  3,  strike  out  sentence  beginning  “Assign- 
ment;”  in  (;),  for  “in”  substitute  of. 


'I'he  proponent  of  these  changes  begs  to  add  that,  in  his  judg- 
ment, the  Constitution  drawn  up  by  Dr.  Herring  and  not  thus  far 
given  the  benefit  of  his  own  revision  is,  even  in  its  first  state, 
admirably  complete,  detailed,  and  thoroughly  coordinated.  When 
it  shall  have  received  the  emendations  of  its  author  and  others, 
with  the  inclusion  possibly  of  some  of  the  foregoing,  it  may  prove 
an  acceptable  basis  of  complete  organic  union  in  the  day — may 
it  be  not  far  off — of  happy  consummation.  It  illustrates  the 
thesis  of  St.  Augustine ; “In  essentials,  unity ; in  non-essentials, 
liberty ; in  all  things,  charity.”  It  posits  a unity  not  of  Order  but 
of  Organization ; not  of  faith  in  every  detail  of  doctrine,  but  of 
faith  in  its  fundamental  articles;  the  unity  toward  which  we  be- 
lieve the  Spirit  of  God  is  leading  us. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

Robert  Westly  Pe.\ch. 


24 


VI. 


ORGANIC  UNION  OF  EVANGELICAL  CHURCHES  IN 
THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA 

[Submitted  by  Dr.  Peach.] 

I.  The  Need. — The  competitions  and  rivalries  of  the  evan- 
gelical denominations  in  our  country  have  resulted  in  astounding 
waste  and  inefficiency. 

Illustration:  In  1906  (the  1916  census  omitted  this  item) 
eighty-six  per  cent,  of  the  Protestant  congregations  reported 
church  sittings  for  53,000,000  people.  Doubtless  many  reports 
were  over-estimated.  Possibly  an  actual  count  of  sittings  would 
have  given  no  more  than  53,000,000  for  one  hundred  per  cent, 
of  the  churches.  Even  so,  if  not  a single  church  had  been  built 
in  the  last  thirteen  years,  those  standing  in  1906  would  accommo- 
date at  a single  service  every  Protestant  communicant  of  the  year 
1919  and  every  Roman  Catholic  in  our  country,  baptized  infants 
included,  and  besides,  every  man,  woman  and  child  in  Canada, 
Cuba  and  Porto  Rico ; and,  as  many  membership  rolls,  also, 
unrevised  are  too  large,  there  would  still  be  much  room  to  spare. 

These  eighty-six  per  cent,  of  our  churches  reported  over  three 
sittings  for  every  communicant.  At  the  same  time,  the  Roman 
Catholic  churches  reporting  had  one  sitting  for  every  two  and 
one-fourth  members — a ratio  of  nearly  seven  to  one  in  our  dis- 
favor. The  Roman  churches  are  crowded,  ours,  on  an  average, 
less  than  one-quarter  filled — for  it  is  the  exceptional  church 
which,  at  its  principal  Sunday  service,  has  an  attendance 
equalling  eighty  per  cent,  of  its  communicant  roll. 

This  is  because  our  denominational  attachments  and  rivalries 
have  caused  us  to  build  perhaps  over  100,000  superfluous 
churches,  at  a cost  of  far  over  $500,000,000.  Their  upkeep  and 
the  salaries  incident  to  maintaining  services  make  necessary  the 
raising  annually  of  millions  of  wasted  dollars ; make  necessary, 
moreover,  gruelling  efforts  to  raise  this  money.  Inevitably  there 
has  arisen  The  Great  Protestant  Order  of  Mendicant  Pastors  and 
Sisters,  unincorporated.  Inevitably  also  has  followed  a wide- 
spread defection  of  church  members,  wearv  of  continual  solicita- 

25 


tion  to  give  outright  and  to  buy  tickets  for  suppers,  entertain- 
ments, bazaars,  etc.  Not  the  giving  has  repelled,  in  most  instances 
— for  the  American  people  are  generous — but  the  needless  calls 
for  uneconomic  giving.  Upon  members  who  remain  steadfast 
have  fallen  the  heavier  burdens.  This  defection  also  is  mainly 
responsible  for  increasing  the  two  out  of  three  empty  pews  caused 
by  over-churching  to  three  out  of  four.  Let  not  the  pastors  and 
members  of  exceptional  congregations  blindly  question  the  general 
validity  of  these  estimates. 

Withal,  we  have  thousands  of  settled  communities  without 
a single  church.  In  Ohio,  for  example,  the  recent  Methodist 
Episcopal  survey  has  discovered  scores  of  townships,  six  miles 
square,  without  a single  resident  minister.  To  wicked  waste  we 
add  woeful  inefficiency. 

In  our  division,  our  people  are  groaning  under  the  burdens 
caused  thereby,  and  under  the  reproach  of  incompetency,  not 
only,  but  the  unchurched  masses  ignore  our  weakened  testimony 
and  reject  our  appeal ; our  problems  are  multiplied,  our  fellow- 
ship is  marred,  our  Lord  is  dishonored.  These  are  the  conditions 
organic  unity  is  set  to  cure. 

II.  The  Plan. — Ideal  unity  as  to  form  and  spirit,  no  matter 
whose  ideal  is  advanced,  is  unattainable.  What  plan,  less  than 
ideal,  can  carry? 

First,  not  any  plan  of  conformity. 

Seven  years  ago  your  essayist  proposed  to  the  Twentieth 
General  Council  of  the  Reformed  Episcopal  Church  the  appoint- 
ment of  a Commission  on  Church  Union  charged  to  confer  with 
other  commissions  or  committees  on  the  proposition  that  “The 
doctrine,  polity,  and  order  of  worship  of  the  Reformed  Episcopal 
Church  afford  in  our  judgment  practical  basis  of  such  union.” 
He  was  made  and  remains  chairman  of  the  commission.  The 
warrant  for  that  proposition  was  strong.  Upon  our  revision  of 
Thirty-nine  Articles  Calvinists  and  Arminians  stand  together 
without  discomfort ; our  bishops  of  the  Historic  Episcopate  and 
other  presbyters  annually  on  the  Thursday  before  Easter  and 
often  beside  upon  occasion  invite  non-Episcopal  ministers  to  assist 
them  in  administering  the  Holy  Communion ; we  receive  ministers 

26 


without  re-ordination,  communicants  without  confirmation,  upon 
credentials,  from  other  evangelical  denominations;  we  use  the 
historic  Anglican  liturgy,  evangelically  revised  by  Bishop  White 
in  1785  and  by  us  in  1874  and  since,  and  exercise  our  freedom 
to  add  to  it  extemporaneous  prayer  at  any  service.  Nevertheless, 
as  I now  see,  our  canon  law  would  have  to  be  amended,  else  we 
sliould  needs  require  an  impossible  conformity  to  the  use  of  our 
Prayer  Book  at  least  “invariably  on  the  morning  of  the  Lord’s 
Day.”  Non-liturgical  churches  would  reject  this,  and  we  with 
them  would  reject  the  use  of  the  Prayer  Book  as  revised  in  1789 
and  since  by  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church.  Liturgical  con- 
formity is  excluded. 

Conformity  in  ordination  as  a pre-requisite  of  union  is  impos- 
sible. Not  a single  evangelical  church  in  America,  for  example, 
could  be  presuaded  to  accept  from  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  the  laying  of  the  hands  of  its  bishops  upon  the  heads  of 
all  ministers,  whether  this  were  called  ordination  (on  the  theory 
that  non-Episcopal  ordination  is  really  no  ordination),  or  hypo- 
thetical ordination  (on  the  admission  that  non-Episcopal  ordina- 
tion may  not  have  been  valid,  or  re-ordination,  extra-ordination, 
super-ordination  (call  it  what  you  may — for  the  sake  of  order 
and  conformity). 

Again,  conformity  in  baptism  as  a pre-requisite  of  union  is 
impossible;  immersion  of  all  communicants  who  had  been  bap- 
tized in  other  forms,  by  the  ministers  of  the  Baptist  churches  or 
those  of  the  Disciples  of  Christ,  for  illustration.  Impossible  also 
of  acceptance,  for  one  more  out  of  many  cases,  would  be  con- 
formity to  the  exclusive  use  of  versifications  of  the  Psalms  in  the 
service  of  praise,  according  to  the  manner  of  the  United  Presby- 
terian and  some  other  Churches. 

All  these  modes  may  not  exclude  or  be  excluded  by  other 
modes  in  the  United  Church.  Conformity  is  now  and  ever  will 
remain  an  insuperable  obstacle  to  union. 

Second,  not  any  plan  of  Federal  Union. 

[N.  B. — The  writer  became  convinced  by  the  discussions  in 
the  early  meetings  of  the  Ad  Interim  Committee  that  a federal 
plan  was  the  only  first  step  possible  of  adoption;  and  now  (Octo- 

27 


ber,  1919)  believes  that  the  plan  wrought  out  by  the  committee, 
while  it  cannot  nullify  all  of  the  following  objections,  promises, 
when  adopted,  to  achieve  no  slight  degree  of  actual  union.] 

The  question  must  be  changed,  for  admittedly  some  such  plan 
may  carry.  Would  it  result  in  much  more  than  union  in  name? 
Could  it  cure  the  diseases  with  which  we  are  afflicted?  Would 
it  be  organic?  It  could  not  be  after  the  pattern  of  the  political 
union  of  States  in  our  Country,  because,  unlike  the  States,  our 
denominational  bodies  occupy  common  territory.  In  any  federal 
plan  this  condition  will  remain,  denominational  names  anc 
autonomy  will  be  preserved,  conflicting  interests  will  continue  in 
force — and  these  it  is  our  chief  concern  to  abolish. 

Cnder  any  federal  plan  the  organization  of  new  congregations 
where  they  were  not  needed  could  not  always  be  prevented ; there 
would  often  be  friction,  sometimes  mutiny.  Old  congregations 
would  go  on  in  their  separate  ways,  no  two  neighboring  parishes 
being  able  to  unite  without  the  reproach  of  desertion  of  its  denom- 
ination being  laid  upon  one  of  them.  Still  we  should  have  the 
hundred  thousand  superfluous  churches ; still  the  old  waste,  the 
old  inefficiency,  the  old  groaning  under  needless  burdens,  the  old 
scorn  of  the  unchurched  for  the  Church,  all  only  slightly  remedied. 

Third,  the  plan  of  organic  unity. 

This,  in  the  judgment  of  many,  cannot  carry;  many  others 
believe  that  it  can,  in  time.  Of  these  latter  I am  one.  No  other 
plan  is  supremely  worth  while,  as  the  most  if  not  all  of  the 
evangelical  Churches  of  America  would  come  to  agree  if  this 
plan  were  adopted  as  the  basis  of  agitation  and  action  by  the 
forthcoming  Conference,  upon  its  submission  thereto  by  the 
Ad  Interim  Committee. 

This  plan  would  recognize  that  unity  of  the  Spirit  already 
subsists  in  large  degree;  also,  that  great  diversity  is  now  found 
within  each  of  the  denominations,  as  to  doctrine,  details  of  polity, 
and  modes  of  order  in  public  worship.  Not  uniformity,  there- 
fore, but  agreement  in  diversity,  would  be  its  basic  principle. 

Through  the  Ad  Interim  Committee,  I beg  to  propose  to  tbe 
Conference  on  Church  Union  “The  Constitutional  Plan  for 


28 


Organic  Unity  of  Evangelical  Churches.”*  Under  this  plan — 
the  Conference  on  Church  Union  would  propose  to  the  supreme 
councils  of  the  Churches  the  appointment  of  delegates  to  a 
Constitutional  Convention,  which,  in  turn,  would  draft,  and 
refer  back  to  the  said  supreme  councils,  for  amendment,  if  need 
be,  and  adoption : 

“The:  Constitution  of  the  United  Church  of  Christ  in 
THE  United  States  of  America.” 

The  preamble  to  this  Constitution  would  set  forth  the  irre- 
ducible minimum  of  fundamentals  of  the  faith  as  held  by  us  all. 
It  would  be  derived  from  our  common  beliefs  as  embodied  in 
acts  of  public  worship : the  exclusive  use  of  the  Holy  Scriptures 
of  the  Old  and  New  Covenants  for  devotion  and  instruction ; 
prayer  to  the  one  and  only  God  our  Father,  in  the  Names  of  Jesus 
Christ  His  Son,  our  Lord ; baptism  of  subjects  into  the  Name  of 
the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost ; administration 
of  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord’s  Supper  with  His  words,  "This 
do  in  remembrance  of  me;”  preaching  of  salvation  from  sin  and 
guilt  through  the  merits  and  sacrifice  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  It  would 
well  be  stated  in  the  very  words  of  Scripture. 

The  first  article  would  establish  the  parity  of  the  uniting 
Churches  as  to  their  ministry  and  communicant  membership  at 
the  moment  of  union.  If  the  ministerial  standards  of  some 
denominations  were  found  too  low  for  recognition  on  a parity 
with  others,  such  bodies  could  be  excluded  for  a season,  until 
the  disqualifications  were  removed. 

Another  article  would  secure  a large  measure  of  autonomy  to 
the  individual  congregation.  In  particular,  free  choice  thereof 
as  to  liturgical  or  non-liturgical  worship ; as  to  the  subjects  of 
baptism  and  reception  into  communion,  and  the  modes  of  admin- 
istering the  two  sacraments ; and  as  to  the  use  in  the  service  of 
praise  of  Psalm-versions,  or  other  hymns,  or  both,  would  be 
guarded. 


*The  writer  first  set  forth  this  proposal  for  a Constitutional  Con- 
vention on  Organic  Union  in  resolutions  received  by  the  Reformed 
Episcopal  General  Council  on  May  18,  1918,  as  found  on  page  149  of 
the  Journal  of  the  Twenty-second  General  Council. 

29 


Another  article  would  provide  for  ordinations  after  the 
moment  of  union,  setting  forth  the  conditions,  and  safeguarding 
the  continuance  of  historic  forms,  either  by  combining,  or  by 
authorizing  two  or  more  forms  with  freedom  of  choice. 

In  other  articles  the  Constitution  would  reconstruct  the  com- 
plex organizations  of  the  Churches  into  an  organic  oneness ; 
abolishing  old  denominational  names,  dissolving  old  conferences, 
associations,  synods,  councils,  conventions  and  assemblies ; bring- 
ing their  former  members  into  new  fellowships  within  compact 
territorial  limits ; grouping  these  into  State  organizations,  and 
these  in  turn  into  a national  legislature  and  court. 

By  the  Constitution  a similar  process  of  consolidation  of  edu- 
cational institutions  and  publishing  houses  would  be  provided. 
Likewise,  on  foreign  fields,  replacing  a still  defective  comity,  con- 
solidation would  be  effected,  to  the  effacing  of  competition  and 
overlapping,  to  the  resolving  of  confusion  on  the  part  of  converts, 
and  to  the  immediate  gain  of  new  power  by  the  Gospel 
proclamation. 

III.  Results. — Alike  at  home  as  abroad,  beneficent  results 
would  follow  constitutional  organic  union.  For  examples : 

In  overchurched  neighborhoods  consolidation  of  congregations 
would  in  many  places  almost  automatically  take  place,  the  move- 
ment quickly  gathering  momentum,  once  the  reproach  of  denom- 
inational desertion  were  taken  away.  The  strength  thus  con- 
served, the  investments  and  giving  power  thus  released,  would 
turn  to  supply  the  needs  of  unchurched  places. 

The  minds  and  wills  of  leaders  would  be  relieved  from  the 
often  irksome  problems  of  denominational  needs  and  a new  vital 
force  thus  set  free  for  carrying  on  the  great  works  of  evangelism, 
social  service,  and  Christian  statesmanship. 

A power  unknown  to  separate  denominations  would  accrue 
to  the  United  Church  of  Christ,  which  would  make  for  the  over- 
throw of  entrenched  evil  and  the  exalting  of  righteousness  in 
the  nation. 

A new  loyalty  would  come  to  birth,  higher  than  denomina- 
tional loyalty,  with  worthier,  less  selfish  incentives,  broader,  more 

30 


holy.  Who  would  not  rather  belong  to  the  United  Church  of 
Christ  than  to  his  present  honored  fragment  of  the  Church? 

Are  there  lions  in  the  way,  and  shall  they  make  us  falter? 

Happily,  our  several  Churches  have  not  at  their  heads  popes, 
kings  and  presidents,  jealous  of  sovereignty,  but  one  Father  in 
heaven,  one  King  of  kings,  enthroned  on  high,  one  presiding 
Spirit — one  sovereign  God. 

May  He,  in  His  Mercy,  grant  us  wisdom,  patience,  perse- 
verance, faith,  and  devotion,  to  work  out  the  plans  of  organic 
union  of  those  bodies  of  believers  which  acclaim  Him  as  their 
only  Head,  to  the  glor\-  of  His  ever-blessed  Name. 

Yours  fraternally, 

Robert  Westly  Peach, 
Representing  the  Reformed  Episcopal  Church. 

Newark,  New  Jersey,  March  6,  1919. 

VII. 

[Submitted  by  Dr.  Black.] 

RESOLUTION  AND  PLAN  OF 
CHURCH  UNION 

Marshall,  Mo.,  February  25,  1919. 
To  The  Committee  ox  Plax: 

I venture  to  submit  for  your  inspection,  study,  and  such  use 
as  you  care  to  make  of  it : 

1.  A tentative  Plan  of  Church  Union,  the  result  of  consider- 
able premeditation  on  my  part  and  of  conferences  with  various 
brethren,  especially  in  the  West. 

2.  I have  tried  to  frame  my  Plan  on  the  basis  of  what  is 
familiar  and  approved  by  all  denominations,  /.  e.,  the  form  of 
Government  of  the  United  States  of  America.  The  less  of  the 
unfamiliar  there  is  in  our  plan,  the  less  previous  educational 
work  will  be  required  in  order  to  secure  its  adoption. 

3.  I have  been  impressed  with  the  necessity  of  providing  a 
plan  which  would  include  the  historic  faiths  of  all  types  of 

31 


Evangelical  Churches ; Episcopal,  Presbyterian  and  Independent. 
I have  been  greatly  impressed  with  the  deliverance,  last  year,  by 
the  Anglican  Conference  on  the  subject,  and  with  the  way  by 
which  they  proposed  the  preservation  of  the  Episcopal  function. 
My  scheme  will  provide  for  that  in  the  constitutional  definition 
of  the  judicial  department  of  the  United  Church,  the  more  demo- 
cratic functions  being  represented  in  the  executive  and  legislative 
powers,  or  departments. 

4.  My  plan  provides  that  there  shall  be  a distinct  difference 
between  the  Plan  on  which  we  shall  get  together  and  the  Consti- 
tution by  which  the  various  churches  shall  be  ultimately  bound 
together.  The  United  Church,  itself,  in  its  first  Congress  should 
frame  the  constitution  and  submit  it  to  the  various  State  church 
legislatures  for  adoption.  I think  it  is  better  that  the  plan  should 
simply  be  submitted  as  a bond  of  initiatory  union,  with  a view 
to  the  subsequent  framing  and  adoption  of  a constitution,  not 
framed  as  a prerequisite  but  in  all  its  details,  by  the  constituent 
churches  in  their  national  assemblies. 

5.  I prefer  the  terminology  of  the  United  States  Government, 
itself,  because  it  is  already  familiar  to  all  of  us  (/.  e.,  Congress, 
President,  Governor,  Legislature,  etc.),  in  order  to  abbreviate 
the  necessities  for  explanation. 

6.  My  plan  I prefer  to  call  “A  Declaration  of  Church 
Union,^'’  again  following  our  National  history. 

7.  There  is  no  creed  in  my  Plan,  for  the  reasons  stated  in  the 
accompanying  resolution,  which  I submit  also  for  your  consid- 
eration. 

8.  I do  not  think  that  wisdom  will  die  with  me,  but  I do 
think  that  the  nearer  )'our  sub-committee  has  the  views  of  the 
Ad  Interim  Committee  before  it  for  consideration,  the  nearer 
the  committee  will  come  to  making  an  adequate  consensus  of 
opinion ; hence,  I submit  my  Plan  to  you  rather  than  to  bring 
it  up  later. 

9.  Your  committee  has  on  it  a most  important  task  and  will 
need  the  sympathy  and  cooperation  of  us  all ; hence,  I am  putting 
in  constructive  form  my  suggestion.  I am  glad  that  this  will  be 

32 


only  one  among  many  suggested  plans  which  will  be  submitted 
for  your  consideration. 

10.  The  Resolution,  which  I think  is  very  important,  is  as 
follows : 


A RESOLUTION. 

In  view  of  the  fact  that  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  Christian 
Faith  have  already  been  adequately  expressed  in  the  venerable 
and  revered  Creeds  now  held  by  the  Protestant  Evangelical 
Churches  of  the  United  States ; and,  in  view  of  the  further  fact 
that  some  of  these  Churches  do  not  believe  it  is  wise  to  formulate 
and  impose  upon  office  bearers  such  creedal  statements  however 
orthodox  they  may  be:  and  still  further,  in  view  of  the  fact  that 
Protestant  Evangelical  reunion  can  be  effected  only  in  an  irenic 
spirit  without  raising  questions  which  have  divided  denomina- 
tions in  the  past;  and  moreover,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  all 
recognize  and  teach  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  are  the  inspired 
Word  of  God  and  are  the  only  infallible  rule  of  Faith  and  Prac- 
tice ; Therefore,  the  Ad  Interim  Committee  recommends  that  it 
is  sufficient  for  the  purposes  of  Reunion  to  declare  our  continued 
adherence  to  the  Fundamental  Doctrines  of  Christian  Belief  with- 
out attempting  their  restatement. 

11.  My  Plan  called  “A  Delaration  oe  Church  Union”  is 
herewith  submitted  and  is  as  follows: 

A DECLARATION  OF  CHURCH  UNION. 

The  Church. 

When  it  becomes  apparent  in  the  course  of  Divine  Providence, 
as  now,  that  in  order  to  . fulfill  the  prayer  of  our  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  that  His  people  may  be  one ; in  order  that  the  world, 
recently  torn  and  bleeding  with  the  horrors  of  war,  may  feel  the 
sympathy  and  help  of  united  Christianity ; in  order  that  believers, 
in  the  United  States  especially,  may  render  undivided  service  to 
those  for  whom  Christ  died ; in  order  that  by  union  we  may 
hasten  the  coming  of  the  day  of  a united  Christendom ; in  order 
that  we  may  conserve  the  spiritual  and  material  resources  of  the 
people  of  God ; in  order  that  we  may  have  a happier  and  more 
efficient  fellowship  with  our  Christian  brethren ; and  moved 
thereto  by  the  Spirit  of  God  who  dwells  within  and  amongst  us : 
we  declare  that  all  Evangelical  Churches  should  be  one,  and 
covenant  in  the  Name  of  the  Lord  and  depending  upon  Him  for 
grace  and  wisdom  as  follows : 


33 


1.  That  we  will  accept  the  history  and  service  of  all  Evan- 
gelical Churches  as  parts  of  the  history  and  service  of  the  Church 
of  the  Living  God. 

2.  That  we  will  recognize  the  ordination  of  all  ministers  or 
clergy,  in  each  and  every  denomination  entering  this  union  as 
valid  for  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ,  both  for  preaching  the 
Gospel  and  administering  the  ordinances. 

3.  That  we  will  give  to  the  members  in  good  standing  in  all 
such  Churches  full  credit  for  such  baptism  as  they  may  have 
received,  regardless  of  mode,  and  will  make  no  distinction  as  to 
their  rights  at  the  table  of  the  Holy  Supper  of  our  Lord. 

4.  That  wherein  we  differ  from  our  brethren  on  questions  of 
Faith  and  Order  we  will  depend  upon  the  ministry  of  teaching, 
rather  than  on  harsh  judicial  process,  in  order  to  effect  like- 
mindedness. 

5.  That  all  Protestant  Evangelical  Churches  which  officially, 
or  constitutionally,  adopt  this  Declaration  and  give  notice  of  the 
same  to  a Commission  hereafter  to  be  designated,  are  members 
of  the  United  Church,  which  membership  includes  all  organiza- 
tions, congregations,  institutions,  ministers,  officers,  members, 
administrative  agencies  connected  with  or  under  control  of  such 
consenting  Churches. 

6.  The  Commission  on  Membership  referred  to  in  Item  5 
shall  be  the  members  of  the  Ad  Interim  Committee,  or  their 
successors. 

7.  The  Ad  Interim  Committee,  or  their  successors,  shall  act 
as  convener  and  as  the  Committee  on  Credentials  of  the  National 
Church  Congress  until  said  Congress  is  properly  organized  by  the 
election  of  Permanent  officers. 


I. 

The  Church  so  constituted  of  such  consenting  Protestant 
Evangelical  Denominations  shall  hold  its  first  General  Congress 
at  Washington,  D.  C.,  the  first  Wednesday  in  May,  1925.  Said 
General  Congress  shall  be  composed  of  at  least  two  representa- 
tives from  each  State  and  Territory  of  the  United  States  of 
.A.merica  and  one  additional  member  for  each  one  hundred  thou- 
sand adult  members  in  each  State  or  Territory,  and  said  Church 
Congress-members  shall  be  at  least  twenty-five  years  of  age  and 
shall  have  been  members  of  one  of  the  constituent  denominations 
at  least  five  years  prior  to  his  nomination.  Said  Congress-mem- 
bers shall  be  elected  by  the  adult  members  in  each  State  or  Terri- 
tory on  the  second  Tuesday  in  October,  1924,  from  a group  of 
nominees  who  shall  be  nominated  by  a State  Convention  of  adult 

34 


members  to  be  held  at  the  State  Capital  the  second  Tuesday  in 
September,  1924,  which  nominating  Convention  may  nominate 
three  candidates  for  each  Church  Congressional  office  to  be  filled ; 
provided,  however,  the  nominees  are  equably  distributed  among 
the  denominations  of  the  State  or  Territory ; and  provided  also 
that  half  the  Congress-members  shall  be  ministers.  When  said 
Congress-members  so  elected  shall  meet  at  Washington,  D.  C., 
the  first  Wednesday  in  May,  1925,  the  Congress  shall  be  called  to 
order  by  the  Chairman  or  Secretary  of  the  Commission  on  Mem- 
bership at  9:00  A.  M.,  and  he  shall  conduct  a suitable  service  of 
worship,  including  a sermon  to  be  preached  by  some  minister 
previously  chosen  for  the  purpose.  The  said  Chairman  or  Secre- 
tary shall  preside  until  the  President  of  the  Church  Congress  be 
elected  by  ballot  to  serve  a term  of  four  years. 

II. 

After  completing  its  organization  by  the  election  by  ballot  of 
proper  officers,  committee  on  credentials,  etc.,  it  shall  be  the  first 
duty  of  the  Church  Congress  to  prepare  a Name  and  Constitution 
for  the  Church  in  the  United  States  and  submit  the  same  to  State 
Church  Legislatures  for  adoption.  Said  Name  and  Constitution 
shall  be  binding  upon  the  United  Church  in  the  United  States 
when  two-thirds  of  the  State  Church  Legislatures  adopt  the 
same. 

III. 

The  First  State  Church  Legislatures  shall  meet  on  the  first 
Tuesday  in  October,  1925,  and  the  members  thereof  shall  be 
nominated,  elected  and  constituted  on  a plan  to  be  provided  by  the 
Church  Congress  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  in  May,  1925. 

IV. 

The  National  Church  Congress  shall  define  the  Executive, 
Legislative  and  Judicial  functions  of  the  Church  and  provide  for 
the  proper  inauguration  of  these  Departments  and  for  all  National 
Administrative  Agencies.  Provided,  that  the  President  of  the 
National  Church  Congress  and  the  General  Secretaries  of  the 
National  Administrative  Agencies  shall  constitute  the  National 
Church  Cabinet,  or  Executive  Committee. 

V. 

The  National  Church  Congress  shall  have  authority  to  take 
up  any  business  which  in  its  judgment  is  proper,  shall  elect  by 
ballot  the  General  Secretaries  of  the  National  Administrative 
Agencies,  and  shall  determine  the  sources  and  amount  of  the 
per  diem  of  its  members. 


35 


VI. 


An  Emergency  Fund  of  Dollars,  to  cover  initial 

expenses  shall  be  raised  on  the  following  plan ; 

Dollars  from  each  consenting  denomination  and  in  [addition 

thereto  Dollars  for  each  one  hundred  thousand 

members  of  each  consenting  denomination.  Said  Fund  to  be  paid 
to  the  Treasurer  of  the  Ad  Interim  Committee  and  subject  to 
the  use  of  the  Ad  Interim  Committee  until  the  National  Church 
Congress  is  constituted  in  May,  1925,  when  the  balance  shall 
be  paid  into  the  Treasury  of  the  National  Church  Congress  for 
its  use. 

Yours  fraternally, 

William  Henry  Black. 


A STEP  IN  THE  DIRECTION  OF  CHURCH  UNION 

Several  premises  present  themselves  to  guide  us  in  the  solution 
of  the  problem  which  is  before  us. 

1.  The  prospect  of  persuading  all  or  any  of  the  churches  to 
surrender  their  individuality  and  merge  into  an  organic  Union, 
by  concerted  action,  is  very  remote. 

2.  Any  attempt  to  establish  a super-body  with  authority  over 
the  various  denominations  seems  to  have  little  prospect  of 
success. 

3.  Any  attempt  at  church  union  which  threatens  religious 
liberty  is  not  to  be  countenanced. 

4.  No  union  we  may  form  can  prevent  the  establishment 
of  new  movements,  if  religious  liberty  is  preserved. 

5.  We  can  go  no  faster  in  this  matter  than  there  is  sympathy 
with  the  project. 

6.  There  is  no  need  of  applying  the  principle  further  than 
there  is  particular  call  for  it  or  opportunity  to  employ  it. 

7.  The  surest  way  to  persuade  the  churches  of  the  practica- 
bility of  union  would  be  to  give  a practical  demonstration  of  the 
scheme. 

8.  It  would  be  reasonable  to  build  on  foundations  already 
laid ; natural  to  take  a step  in  advance  in  the  direction  in  which 
progress  has  already  been  made. 

36 


9.  If  union  could  begin  in  a small  way  and  prove  its  worth, 
it  would  naturally  extend  its  area  of  control  until  it  might 
become  well-nigh  all  inclusive.  But  it  must  come  gradually.  It 
must  be  a growth. 

10.  The  loudest  call  for  union  seems  to  come  from  over- 
churched communities,  and  their  needs  should  be  met. 

If  these  premises  are  correct,  it  would  seem  that  a conclusion 
something  like  this  would  follow : 

An  effort  should  be  made,  either  by  application  to  the  indi- 
vidual bodies  comprising  the  Federal  Council  of  Churches  or  by 
the  formal  action  of  a delegated  convention.  Synod  or  Assembly, 
representing  all  the  churches,  to  secure  common  consent  for  the 
Federal  Council  to  found  Federal  Churches,  especially  in  new 
sections  and  in  old  sections  where  churches  are  willing  tO‘  consoli- 
date. From  such  a beginning  the  step  would  be  quite  logical  to 
a study  of  the  field  in  general  and  in  detail  to  the  establishment 
of  parishes  or  spheres  of  influence,  to  the  adoption  of  strategical 
plans  for  the  whole  battle.  It  might  even  be  possible  that  entire 
denominations  would  identify  themselves  with  the  Federal  Church 
and  thus  the  movement  might  grow,  if  worthy  of  success  and 
energetically  pushed.  Meanwhile,  there  would  be  no  compulsion, 
and  denominations  would  be  at  liberty  to  preserve  their  individu- 
ality until  they  were  ready  to  come  in.  If  the  movement  proved 
impracticable,  little  damage  would  be  done  by  the  experiment. 

A Commission  of  the  Federal  Council,  composed  of  repre- 
sentatives of  all  co-operating  bodies,  would  be  charged  with  the 
duty  of  carr}-ing  on  a propaganda  for  the  “Federal  Church,” 
and  with  the  duty  of  selecting  and  ordaining,  jointly,  a ministry 
for  the  Federal  Churches.  The  idea  would  be  to  have  a ministr\- 
which  would  be  recognized  by  all  co-operating  bodies,  so  that 
the  Federal  Churches  might  be  recognized  as  the  joint  enterprise 
of  all  these  bodies,  and  not  as  a separate  or  rival  denomination. 
If  the  movement  grew,  it  would  follow  that  State  and  County 
Commissions  would  also,  in  time,  be  established. 

In  such  a Federal  Church  the  common  denominator  would 
have  to  be  accepted  for  the  common  denomination,  but,  after 
that,  questions  of  faith  would  have  to  be  left  to  the  individual 

37 


conscience,  and  questions  of  order  would  have  to  be  left,  in  large 
measure,  to  the  individual  congregation  or  individual  Society 
within  the  “Federal  Church.”  The  democratic  principle  would 
have  to  prevail.  Perhaps  an  entirely  new  cultus  would  develop. 

Fraternally, 

John  S.  Romig. 


SUGGESTED  CONTRIBUTION  TO  THE  PLAN  FOR 
ORGANIC  UNION 

Alfred  G.  Garrett. 

At  the  outset  of  this  movement  for  Organic  Union  it  was  the 
hope  of  many  that  it  would  be  a deeper,  more  spiritual,  union 
than  sortie  others — one  in  which,  as  it  was  roughly  put,  we  should 
unite  not  only  in  work,  but  in  worship,  and  find  fellowship  in 
faith  as  well  as  works,  while  at  the  same  time  preserving  unim- 
paired the  individuality  of  each  constituent  denomination.  The 
proposals  were  not  only  to  form  a Council  but  to  effect  closer 
relations  between  the  denominations  under  the  Council  (1)  by 
more  interchange  of  membership,  (2)  by  more  interchange  of 
ministry  and  (3)  by  closer  fellowship  in  worship,  and,  “wherever 
possible,  intercommunion.”  But  when  the  subject  of  member- 
ship was  approached,  we  met  “divisive”  considerations  regarding 
forms  of  baptism,  and  when  ministry  was  considered,  “divisive” 
difficulties  regarding  ordination ; and  if  intercommunion  were 
taken  up,  we  should  obviously  meet  with  similar  difficulties.  And 
yet  ought  we  to  drop  those  subjects  so  soon  because  of  the 
difficulties  ? 

We  may  observe  that  beneath  the  divisive  differences  lie  cer- 
tain great  spiritual  realities  that  are  common  to  us  all : — Thus 
beneath  the  baptism  with  water,  there  is  the  baptism  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  and  of  fire ; back  of  the  communion  of  bread  and  wine, 
lies  the  communion  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ ; deeper  than 
all  ordination  by  imposition  of  hands,  there  is  what  the  poet  calls 
“the  mighty  ordination  of  the  pierced  hands ;”  for  it  is  what 
Christ  himself — the  living  Head  of  the  Church — does  to  a man 
that  really  matters.  The  deeper  spiritual  realities  which  in  each  of 

38 


these  three  subjects  lie  beneath  the  divisive  forms — are  we  not  all 
one  in  regard  to  them?  Does  not  our  deepest  religious  life  lie  in 
them?  Are  they  not  therefore  the  proper  sphere  of  our  union? 
Accordingly  can  we  not  find  some  way  of  expressing  the  deeper 
realities  as  the  real  medium  that  binds  us  together? 

Simply  as  a starting  point  for  practical  application  of  this 
principle,  take  the  matter  of  membership — the  interchange  of 
members.  We  need  an  interchangeable  membership  so  simple, 
so  grounded  in  the  deeper  realities,  so  centered  in  Christ,  as  to 
be  free  from  divisive  differences,  and  to  form  a general  interde- 
nominational medium  of  union.  This  would  seem  the  most 
fundamental,  and  the  most  inclusive,  visible  manifestation  of  our 
inner  unity  as  Christians. 

Some  of  the  facts  that  lead  one  to  think  there  is  hope  in  this 
direction  are  these:  There  have  been  numerous  instances  where 
members  of  one  denomination  have  been  received  by  letter  into 
other  churches  without  any  questioning  or  going  back  of  the 
terms  or  forms  by  which  they  were  first  admitted.  Thus  many 
Baptist  Churches  are  acknowledging  an  ‘‘Open  Membership” — 
that  is,  a membership  of  those  coming  by  letter  from  other  denom- 
inations who  have  not  necessarily  been  immersed ; and  these 
people,  if  they  move  away  again,  though  not  given  a letter  by  the 
Baptist  Church,  are  given  their  original  letter  again,  to  carry 
with  them  as  their  recommendation.  Again,  in  some  bodies — 
e.  g.,  parts  of  the  Society  of  Friends  there  is  an  “Associate  Mem- 
bership,” into  which  may  be  received  by  letter  from  other  denom- 
inations persons  who  are  not  fully  convinced  of  the  tenets  of  the 
Friends.  And,  conversely,  members  of  the  Friends  are  frequently 
received  by  letter  into  membership  of  other  churches  without  bap- 
tism, and  retained  without  partaking  of  the  Lord’s  Supper.  Such 
facts  as  these  suggest  that  we  are  nearly  ready  for  a freer  inter- 
change of  letters  or  recommendations,  and  on  terms  of  Christian 
faith  simpler  than  those  of  the  individual  churches  concerned. 
It  suggests  preparation  for  The  United  Church  of  Christ  in 
America,  and  a universal  membership  in  that  church  which 
should  nevertheless  leave  the  constituent  denominations  and  their 
membership  tests  undisturbed.  The  members  of  this  Lmited 
Church  who  might  not  yet  have  become  affiliated  to  any  regular 

39 


denomination  would  naturally  belong  to  these  several  existent 
churches,  by  enrollment  in  their  “Associate  Membership,  or 
“Open  Membership”  or  some  form  of  preliminary,  probationary 
or  unconfirmed  membership;  from  which  they  might  in  time 
proceed  to  full  membership  by  confirmation  in  the  full  tenets  of 
the  denomination  of  their  choice  if  desired.  They  would  mean- 
while partake  of  fellowship  in  worship  and  pastoral  care,  in  social 
opportunity  and  common  Christian  work,  without  being  required 
at  first  to  subscribe  to  denominational  peculiarities,  or  submit  to 
all  the  special  ceremonial  forms  of  the  church  they  thus  join, 
until  ready  so  to  do. 

One  may  cherish  the  hope  that  thousands  of  persons  now 
estranged  from  organized  Christianity  by  its  divisions  would  join 
in  the  simple  membership  of  the  United  Church,  even  though  they 
proceeded  no  farther ; and  that  in  time  this  membership  would  be 
regarded  as  the  greater  thing,  as  Paul’s  Roman  citizenship  was 
greater  than  his  citizenship  in  Tarsus,  and  so  would  be  more 
and  more  sought  after,  and  more  and  more  claim  the  faith  of  the 
unbelieving  world.  In  no  way,  it  may  be,  would  the  great  aspira- 
tion of  our  Master  be  more  practically  approached,  “that  they 
all  may  be  one,  that  the  world  may  believe  that  thou  didst  send 
me.” 

The  test  for  this  general  membership,  as  suggested  above, 
should  be  exceedingly  simple  and  central,  so  as  to  be  as  clear  as 
possible  of  all  the  divisive  differences  that  now  separate  us.  This 
should  resemble  the  test  indicated  by  our  Lord  himself  at  the 
time  he  first  mentioned  his  church,  (“And  he  asked  them,  but 
who  say  ye  that  I am?  Peter  answereth  and  saith  unto  him. 
Thou  art  the  Christ — Mark  8:  29 — And  Jesus  answered  and 
said  unto  him.  Blessed  art  thou,  Simon  Bar-Jona ; for  flesh  and 
blood  hath  not  revealed  it  unto  thee,  but  my  Father  which  is  in 
heaven.  And  I also  say  unto  thee,  that  thou  art  Peter,  and  upon 
this  rock  I will  build  my  church” — Matt.  16,  17  and  18) — viz.: 
what  Edersheim  describes  as  “a  heaven-taught  faith  and  confes- 
sion” of  him  as  the  Christ. 

Is  not  such  a simple  membership  the  really  vital  one  even 
today?  One  meets  with  many  people  who  pass  readily  from  one 

40 


denomination  to  another,  deprecating,  as  rather  narrow,  the  spe- 
cial peculiarities  which  they  accept  in  each,  but  nevertheless  con- 
vinced of  vital  fundamental  Christianity.  Their  real  conviction 
does  not  cover  the  divisive  things,  and  they  would  be  very  willing 
to  be  rid  of  them. 

If  such  denominations  as  the  Episcopal  and  Lutheran  could 
accept  persons  who  belong  to  this  general  membership  on  similar 
footing  to  their  candidates  for  confirmation,  or  enroll  them 
officially  as  Associates,  would  it  not  go  far  as  a step  to  union? 

Resolved  : That  the  foregoing  paper  be  printed  in  the  Blue 
Book,  to  the  end  that  the  Council  may  consider  whether  provision 
in  the  Plan  should  be  made  for  freer  interchange  of  membership 
and  for  individual  membership  in  “The  United  Churches  of 
Christ  in  America.” 


41 


(Subject  to  Change) 

DELEGATES 

ARMENIAN 

Kalaydjian,  Rev.  M.  T.,  New  York  City,  289  Fourth  Ave. 

Yardumian,  Rev.  Haig  Y.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  213  S.  Broad  St. 

THE  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH 

Coffin,  Rev.  F.  G.,  Albany,  Mo. 

Eldredge,  Hermon,  Erie,  Pa. 

Harper,  Pres.  W.  A.,  Elon  College,  N.  C. 

Sargent,  Rev.  W.  G.,  Providence,  R.  I. 

CHRISTIAN  UNION  OF  U.  S. 

Gordon,  O.  E-,  Rays  Crossing,  Indiana. 

Payne,  Rev.  C.  T.,  Craigville,  Indiana. 

Taggert,  W.  H.,  Waukomis,  Oklahoma. 

Thomas,  Rev.  A.  C.,  Milo,  Iowa. 

CONGREGATIONAL 

Anderson,  Prof.  Louis  F.,  Walla  Walla,  Wash. 

Atkins,  Rev.  G.  G.,  D.D.,  Detroit,  Mich. — First  Congregational  Church. 
Clark,  Prof.  C.  M.,  D.D.,  Bangor,  Maine. 

Davis,  Pres.  Ozora  S.,  D.D.,  Chicago,  111.,  5757  University  Ave. 

Davis,  W.  B.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Herring,  Rev.  H.  C.,  D.D.,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  289  4th  Ave. 

Holmes,  Rev.  John  A.,  D.D.,  Lincoln,  Neb. 

Huget,  Rev.  J.  Percival,  D.D.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Jepson,  Paul,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 

King,  Pres.  Henry  Churchill,  D.D.,  Oberlin,  Ohio. 

Nash,  Pres.  Chas.  S.,  D.D.,  Berkeley,  Cal. 

O’Brien,  Rev.  J.  P.,  D.D.,  Talladega,  Ala. 

Sanders,  Rev.  Frank  K.,  D.D.,  New  York  City,  25  Madison  Ave. 
Walker,  Prof.  Williston,  Ph.D.,  New  Haven,  Conn. 

Werner,  Mr.  Lucien  C.,  LL.D.,  New  York  City,  52  Vanderbilt  Ave. 
Whittemore,  Harris,  Naugatuck,  Conn. 

' DISCIPLES 

Ainslie,  Rev.  Peter,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Abbott,  Rev.  B.  A.,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Armstrong,  Rev.  H.  C.,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Bagby,  Rev.  E.  B.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Burnham,  Rev.  F.  W.,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  Carew  Building. 

Campbell,  Rev.  Geo.  A.,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  Union  Ave.  Christian  Church. 
Cary,  T.  Archibald,  Richmond,  Va. 

Chenoweth,  Rev.  T.  S.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Chilton,  Rev.  C.  M.,  St.  Joseph,  Mo. 

Goldner,  Rev.  J.  H.,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  Euclid  Ave.,  Christian  Church. 
Idleman,  Rev.  Finis  S.,  New  York,  Disciples  of  Christ,  Central  Church. 
Jones,  Rev.  Edgar  Dewitt,  Bloomington,  111. 

Kershner,  Prof.  F.  D.,  Butler  College,  Irvington,  Ind. 

Linville,  Rev.  B.  H.,  Baltimore,  Md.,  Harlem  Ave.  Christian  Church. 
Lumpkin,  Dr.  J.  C.,  Baltimore,  Md.,  Maryland  General  Hospital. 
Maclachlan,  Rev.  H.  D.  C.,  Richmond,  Va. 

Melton,  Rev.  B.  H.,  Baltimore,  Md. 

42 


Miller,  Rev.  Geo.  A.,  Washington,  t).  C. 

Miller,  Rev.  R.  H.,  Kansas  City,  Mo. 

Montgomery,  Dr.  E.  E-,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  1426  Spruce  St. 

Morrison,  Rev.  C.  C.,  Chicago,  111.,  700  E.  40th  St. 

Medbury,  Rev.  Charles  S.,  Des  Moines,  Iowa. 

Philputt,  Rev.  A.  B.,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 

Rothenburger,  Rev.  F.  W.,  Springfield,  111. 

Stauffer,  Prof.  Vernon,  Hiram,  Ohio,  Hiram  College. 

Sweeney,  Rev.  Z.  T.,  Columbus,  Indiana. 

Teachout,  A.  R.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Willett,  Prof.  Herbert  L.,  Chicago,  111.,  University  of  Chicago. 

Winter,  Rev.  T.  E.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

EVANGELICAL  SYNOD  OF  N.  A. 

Baltzer,  Rev.  J.,  D.D.,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  6328  Emma  St. 

Haas,  Rev.  F.  E.  C.,  Amsterdam,  N.  Y.,  20  Liberty  St. 

Schneider,  Rev.  J.  U.,  Ph.D.,  Evansville,  Ind.,  116  Lower  6th  3t. 

FRIENDS 

Five  Years’  Meeting  of  the  Society  of  Friends 

Grant,  Elisha,  Dr.,  Haverford,  Pa.  . 

Jones,  Rufus  M.,  Prof.,  Haverford  College,  Haverford,  Pa.  . 

THE  YEARLY  MEETING  OF  THE  RELIGIOUS  SOCIETY 
OF  FRIENDS 

Bartlett,  Jane  W.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  234  N.  20th  St. 

Bartlett,  J.  Henry,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  234  N.  20th  St. 

Garrett,  Alfred  C.,  Logan  P.  O.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Ladd,  Anna  Rhoads,  Bryn  Mawr,  Pa. 

Rhoads,  Edward  G.,  Germantown,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Warner,  George  M.,  Germantown,  Pa. 

HOME  MISSIONS  COUNCIL 
The  Evangelical  Denominations 

Anthony,  Rev.  Alfred  Williams,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  N.  Y.  City,  156  5th  Ave. 

METHODIST  (Primitive) 

Davies,  W.  H.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  2609  W.  Lehigh  Ave. 

Georges,  Enoch,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  5106  Carnegie  Ave. 

Hall,  Rev.  W.  C.,  Shamokin,  Pa. 

Humphries,  Rev.  E.,  D.D.,  New  Bedford,  Mass. 

Nicholls,  Rev.  S.  L,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  2609  W.  Lehigh  Ave. 

Paul,  Rev.  W.  F.,  Plymouth,  Pa. 

METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH 

Alcock,  John  L-,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Adamson,  Dr.  C.  E.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Allen,  Governor,  Topeka,  Kansas. 

Arter,  Frank  A.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Bagnell,  Dr.  Robert,  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

Berry,  Bishop  J.  F.,  1701  Arch  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Bickley,  Dr.  G.  H.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Baldwin,  Dr.  F.  C.,  East  Orange,  N.  J. 

Budd,  Dr.  H.  G.,  Dover,  Del. 

Bovard,  Dr.  F.  D.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Brown,  E.  L.,  Youngstown,  Ohio. 

43 


Bryar.t,  Dr.  G.  R.,  Chicago,  111! 

Brooks,  Dr.  W.  H.,  New  York  Ciy,  X.  Y.,  237  W.  53d  St. 
Bradshaw,  James  W.,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 

Bradley,  Thomas,  Pasadena,  Cal. 

Burns,  Charles  Wesley,  Minneapolis,  Minn. 

Cooke,  Bishop  R.  J.,  Helena,  Mont. 

Coman,  Dr.  F.  H.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

Crowther,  Dr.  J.  E.,  Seattle,  Wash. 

Clair,  Dr.  M.  W.,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Carroll,  Dr.  H.  D.,  Plainfield,  N.  J. 

Downey,  Dr.  D.  G.,  New  York  City,  N.  Y.,  150  5th  Ave. 

Day,  Dr.  J.  R.,  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  Syracuse  University. 

Duncan,  Dr.  W.  W.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  268  Stuyvesant  Place. 

Dorion,  Dr.  E.  C.  E.,  Boston,  Mass.  “Zion’s  Herald.” 

Dulaney,  Dr.  H.  S.,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Eckman,  Dr.  G.  P.,  Scranton,  Pa.,  Elm  Park  M.  E.  Church. 

Forsyth,  Dr.  D.  D.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  1701  Arch  St. 

Goodell,  Dr.  C.  L.,  New  York  City,  N.  Y.,  105  E.  22nd  St. 

Gray,  Dr.  J.  M.  M.,  Kansas  City,  Mo. 

Hamilton,  Bishop  John  W.,  Washington,  D.  C.,  American  University. 
Handley,  Dr.  John,  Long  Branch,  N.  J. 

Henson,  Dr.  G.  W.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Horne,  Mr.  Frank.  N.  Y.  City,  161  Chambers  St. 

Heisse,  Dr.  J.  F.,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Hubbard,  Dr.  C.  L.,  Wilmington,  Del. 

Hiven,  Dr.  W.  I.,  New  York  City,  N.  Y.,  Bible  School. 

Holm,  Dr.  Gladstone,  Frankford,  Phila.,  Pa. 

Hickenburg,  Dr.  J.  H.,  Reading,  Pa. 

Hughes,  Bishop  M.  S.,  Portland,  Ore.,  406  E.  24th  St. 

Joy,  Dr.  J.  R.,  New  York  City,  N.  Y.,  150  5th  Ave. 

Jacobs,  Dr.  H.  L.,  Williamsport,  Pa. 

Keeney,  H.  S.,  Troy,  N.  Y. 

Kresge,  S.  S-,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Kenney,  Dr.  F.  T.,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

Keen,  Dr.  S.  A.,  Jacksonville,  Fla. 

Leete,  Bishop  F.  D.,  Atlanta,  Ga.  9 West  11th  St. 

Lucas,  Dr.  A.  H.,  Atlantic  City,  N.  J. 

Lynch,  Dr.  Frank  B.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

MacMullen,  Dr.  Wallace,  New  York  City,  N.  Y.,  150  5th  Ave. 
KcBrier,  E.  M.,  Montclair,  N.  J, 

Mott,  Dr.  John  R.,  Montclair,  N.  J. 

.Mills,  Dr.  E.  M.,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

Xinde,  Dr.  E.  S.,  Germantown,  Phila.,  Pa. 

Morth,  Dr.  Frank  Mason,  New  York  City,  N.  Y.,  150  5th  Ave. 

Odell,  Dr.  W.  P.,  Boston,  Mass. 

Pilling,  W.  S.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Penn,  Dr.  I.  Garland,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  420  Plum  St. 

Richardson,  Dr.  E.  G.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  92  Gates  Ave. 

Podgers,  Judge  Henry  Wade,  New  Haven,  Conn. 

Rich,  Paul,  Wollrich,  Pa. 

Race,  Dr.  J.  H.,  Cincinnati,  Ohio. 

Rice,  Dr.  M.  S.,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Shanklin,  Dr.  W.  A.,  Middletown,  Conn.,  Wesleyan  University. 
5tuart,  Dr.  C.  M.,  Evanston,  111. 

■iimpson.  Justice  Alexander,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Stephenson,  Dr.  R.  K.,  Milford,  Del. 

Saltzman,  Gen.,  Washington,  D.  C.  “War  Dept.” 

44 


Tipple,  Dr.  E.  S.,  Madison,  N.  J.,  Drew  Theo.  Sem. 

Thompson,  Dr.  John,  Chicago,  111. 

Townsend,  Governor,  Selbyville,  Del. 

Vogel,  Dr.  G.  G.,  Newark,  N.  J.,  285  Parker  St. 

Waldorf,  Dr.  E.  L.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

Wilson,  Bishop  L.  B.,  New  York  City,  N.  Y. 

Willman,  Dr.  L.  K.,  Camden,  N.  J. 

Watson,  Dr.  E.  L.,  Baltimore,  Md.  Roland  Park. 

Woodcock,  W.  L.,  Altoona,  Pa. 

Wallace,  Dr.  John  J.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.  “Christian  Advocate.” 

White,  Dr.  G.  W.,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Wheeler,  Harry  A.,  Chicago,  111. 

Wilson,  Dr.  Byron  H.,  Los  Angeles,  Cal. 

Wareing,  Dr.  E.  C.,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  420  Plum  St. 

Williams,  Rev.  E.  S.,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Youngson,  Dr.  W.  W.,  Portland,  Oreg. 

$ 

MORAVIAN 

Bishop,  Emil  J.,  Bethlehem,  Pa. 

Eysenbach,  Louis,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  1505  N.  15th  St. 
de  Schweinitz,  Rev.  Paul,  D.D.,  Bethlehem,  Pa. 

Romig,  Rev.  John  S.,  D.D.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  1411  N.  17th  St. 

PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH  IN  U.  S.  A. 

Black,  Rev.  Wm.  H.,  D.D.,  Marshall,  Mo. 

Beard,  Hon.  E.  E.,  Lebanon,  Tenn. 

Baer,  Dr.  John  Willis,  Pasadena,  Cal. 

Carson,  Rev.  John  F.,  D.D.,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  258  Jefferson  Ave. 

Darby,  Rev.  Wm.  J.,  D.D.,  Evansville,  Indiana. 

Dajdon,  D.  Draper,  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  2500  Blaisdell  Ave. 

Erdman,  Rev.  Chas.  R.,  D.D.,  Princeton,  N.  J. 

Elmore,  Rev.  Edgar  A.,  D.D.,  Chattanooga,  Tenn. 

Fulton,  Robert  S.,  Esq.,  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  651  First  Nat’l  Bank  Bldg. 
Hartley,  Rev.  Reuben  H.,  D.D.,  Quincy,  111.,  1260  Main  St. 

Hill,  Rev.  Edgar  P.,  D.D.,  New  York  City,  156  5th  Ave. 

Hunt,  Rev.  Geo.  E.,  D.D.,  Madison,  Wis. 

Jessup,  Henry  W.,  Esq.,  New  York,  N.  Y.,  55  Liberty  St. 

Ligget,  Craig  N.,  4036  Walnut  St.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Little,  Rev.  Chas.,  D.  D.,  Wabash,  Ind. 

McKibbin,  Rev.  Wm.,  D.D.,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  Walnut  Hills. 
MacKenzie,  Rev.  Robt.,  D.D.,  New  York  City,  156  5th  Ave. 

Merrill,  Rev.  Wm.  P.,  D.D.,  New  York  City,  112  E.  36th  St. 

Marquis,  Rev.  John  A.,  D.  D.,  New  York  City,  156  5th  Ave. 
Mendenhall,  Rev.  H.  G.,  D.D.,  New  York  City,  311  W.  75th  St. 
McConnell,  Prof.  J.  J.,  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa. 

Mcllvaine,  Judge  John  A.,  Washington,  Pa. 

Manson,  John  T.,  New  Haven,  Conn.,  Yale  National  Bank. 

McClure,  Rev.  Jas.  G.  K.,  D.D.,  McCormick  Theo.  Seminary,  Chicago,  111. 
Nicol,  A.  R.,  Summit,  N.  J. 

Roberts,  Rev.  Wm.  H.,  D.D.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  (Chairman), 

Witherspoon  Bldg. 

Reynolds,  Rev.  George,  D.D.,  New  Rochelle,  N.  Y.,  33  Pintard  Ave. 
Snowden,  Rev.  Jas.  H.,  D.D.,  Western  Theo.  Seminary,  Pittsburgh.  Pa. 
Smith,  Rev.  J.  Frank,  D.D.,  Dallas,  Texas,  City  Temple. 

Shields,  Gen.  Geo.  H.,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  818  Rialto  Bldg. 

Speer,  Dr.  Robert  E.,  New  York  City,  156  5th  Ave. 

45 


Stevenson,  Rev.  J.  Ross,  D.D.,  Princeton,  N.  J. 

Vance,  Rev.  Jos.  A.,  D.D.,  Detroit,  Mich.,  21  Edmund  Place. 

Walker,  Rev.  Hugh  K.,  D.D.,  Los  Angeles,  Cal.,  2663  Menlo  Ave. 

PROTESTANT  EPISCOPAL 

Anderson,  The  Rt.  Rev.  C.  P.,  D.D.,  Chicago,  111.,  1612  Prairie  Ave. 
Brent,  The  Rt.  Rev.  C.  H.,  D.D.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  Bishop’s  House. 
Bartlett,  The  Very  Rev.  G.  G.,  D.D.,  Philadelphia,  Pa., 

418  Stock  Exchange  Bldg. 

Bonsall,  Edward  H.,  Esq.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Land  Title  Bldg. 

Caley,  Rev.  L.  N.,  D.D.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  1626  Mt.  Vernon  St. 
Edmonds,  Franklin  S.,  Esq.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Franklin  Bldg. 

Fiske,  The  Rt.  Rev.  Charles,  D.D.,  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  909  James  St. 
Garland,  The  Rt.  Rev.  T.  J.,  D.D.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  12th  & Walnut  Sts. 
Gailor,  The  Rt.  Rev.  T.  F.,  D.D.,  New  York  City,  281  Fourth  Ave. 
Gardiner,  Robert  H.,  Gardiner,  Maine. 

Hodge,  The  Rev.  Geo.  W.,  D.D.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  The  Gladstone. 
Jefferys,  The  Rev.  E.  M.,  D.D.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Lloyd.  The  Rt.  Rev.  A.  S.,  D.D.,  New  York  City,  281  Fourth  Ave. 
Lines,  The  Rt.  Rev.  E.  S.,  D.D.,  Newark,  N.  J.,  Bishop’s  House. 

Mann,  The  Rt.  Rev.  Cameron,  D.D.,  Orlando,  Florida. 

McBee,  Silas.  New  York  City,  281  Fourth  Ave. 

Morehouse,  F.  C.,  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin. 

Manning,  The  Rev.  W.  T.,  D.  D.,  New  York  City,  187  Fulton  St. 
Mikell,  The  Rt.  Rev.  Henry  J.,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  Bishop’s  House. 

Pronce,  The  Hon.  L.  B.,  LL.D.,  Sante  Fe,  N.  M. 

Pepper,  George  Wharton,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Land  Title  Bldg. 
Rhinelander,  The  Rt.  Rev.  P.  M.,  D.D.,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Tomkins,  Rev.  Floyd.  D.D.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  1904  Walnut  St. 
Washburn,  Rev.  L.  C.,  D.D.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  3’17  S.  11th  St. 


REFORMED  EPISCOPAL 

Fallows,  Bishop  Samuel,  D.D.,  LL.D.,  Chicago,  111.,  2344  Monroe  St. 
Peach,  Rev.  Robert  W.,  D.D.,  Newark,  N.  J.,  271  Parker  St. 

Ray,  Samuel  B.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  (Germantown),  444  School  Lane. 
Searle,  Carleton  A.,  Chicago,  111.,  7300  Union  Avenue. 

Alternates 

Berry,  Thomas  L.,  Baltimore,  Md.,  Fidelitj’  Bldg. 

Rudolph,  Bishop  Robert  L.,  D.D.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  103  S.  36th  St. 
Van  Epps,  J.  S.,  Cleveland,  Ohio,  1849  E.  86th  St.,  care  of  Rev.  Thomas 

J.  Mason. 

Way,  Rev.  William  T.,  D.D.,  Baltimore,  Md.,  1611  N.  Caroline  St. 


REFORMED  CHURCH  IN  U.  S. 

Ankeney,  Albert,  Xenia,  Ohio.  R.  F.  D.  10. 

Dahlman,  Rev.  A.  E.,  D.D.,  Shebovgan,  Wisconsin. 

Miller,  Pres.  C.  E.,  D.D.,  Tiffin,  Ohio. 

Miller,  Rev.  Rufus  W.,  D.D.,  Philadelphia,  Pa., 

Reformed  Church  Bldg. 

Rice,  E.  A.,  York,  Pa. 

Richards,  Prof.  Geo.  W.,  D.D.,  Lancaster,  Pa. 

46 


UNITED  BRETHREN  IN  CHRIST 

Bell,  Bishop  N.  M.,  D.D.,  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

Clippinger,  Pres.  N.  G.,  D.D.,  Westerville,  Ohio. 

Crites,  Rev.  T.  D.,  D.D.,  Toledo,  Iowa. 

Funk,  Rev.  W.  R.,  D.D.,  Dayton,  Ohio. 

Font,  Bishop  H.  H.,  Indianapolis,  Indiana 

Kreider,  Hon.  A.  S..  Member  Congress,  Wash.,  D.  C. 

Mathews,  Bishop  G.  M.,  D.D.,  Dayton  Ohio. 

McFaul,  Judge  W.  N.,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Miller,  Rev.  H.  E.,  D.D.,  Lebanon,  Pa. 

Shuey,  E.  L.,  Dayton,  Ohio. 

UNITED  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH 

Anderson,  Rev.  W.  M.,  D.D.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  1514  Master  St. 
Montgomery,  Rev.  J.  Knox,  D.D.,  New  Concord,  Ohio. 

McClurkin,  Rev.  J.  K.,  D.D.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  456  Altantic  Ave. 
Russell,  Rev.  R.  M.,  D.D.,  Moody  Bible  Institute,  Chicago,  111. 
Wishart,  Rev.  W.  I.,  D.D.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  2333  Perrysville  Ave.,  N.  S. 

WELSH  PRESBYTERIAN  CHURCH 

Davies,  John,  D.D.,  Utica,  N.  Y.,  1207  West  St. 

Hammond,  Rev.  John,  Scranton,  Pa.,  208  West  Summer  St. 


LIST  OF  CHURCHES  INVITED  TO  BECOME  MEMBERS  OF  THE 
INTERCHURCH  CONFERENCE  ON  ORGANIC  UNION 


African  M.  E.  Church 
African  M.  E.  Zion  Church. 

Armenian  Evangelical  Church. 

Associate  Reformed  Presbyterian  Synod. 
Christian  Church,  General  Council. 

Church  of  God. 

Congregational  Churches  (The). 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church. 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  Church,  Colored. 
Disciples,  Church  of  the. 

Evangelical  Synod  of  North  America. 

Free  Baptist  Churches. 

Free  Methodist  Church. 

Friends,  The  Society  of  (Yearly  Meeting). 
Friends  (Five  Years’  Meeting). 

Lutheran  Church  (United). 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 

Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  South. 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  Colored. 
Methodist  Protestant. 

Moravian  Church  in  America. 

National  Baptist,  Colored. 

Northern  Baptist  Convention. 


47 


Presbyterian  Church,  U.  S.  A. 

Primitive  Methodist  Church. 

Protestant  Episcopal  Church  in  the  U.  S. 
Reformed  Church  in  U.  S. 

Reformed  Episcopal  Church. 

Reformed  Church  in  America. 

Reformed  Presbyterian,  General  Synod. 
Southern  Baptist  Convention. 

United  Evangelical  Church. 

United  Brethren  Church. 

United  Presbyterian  Church  of  N.  A. 
Welsh  Presbyterian  Church. 


48 


